From the White House grounds to town halls across the country, politicians and candidates have been attempting to block members of the media from covering them — and advocates say it’s raising serious press freedom concerns.
The trend has stretched beyond party lines and political positions. Sometimes incidents stem from a dispute over unfavorable coverage; others from logistics snags or credentialing issues. But clashes between politicians and members of the media appear to have reached a fever pitch.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Maryland) on Tuesday tried to bar reporter Cat Murphy from recording him after a campaign forum with his Democratic challenger, incorrectly citing the state’s two-party consent law, which does not apply to public press gaggles. The incident, in which Harris called for an officer to take the journalist’s camera before abruptly exiting the room, occurred the same day a federal judge extended a block on President Donald Trump from barring some journalists from the White House grounds.
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