Susanne Posel ,Chief Editor Occupy Corporatism | Host of Hardline Radio Show
Republicans in the Senate have announced a crackdown on the media’s ability to access senators on Capitol Hill.
Journalist Alexander Bolton writes: “Reporters were told they would no longer be allowed to film or record audio of interviews in the Senate side hallways of the Capitol without special permission.”
Televised news media will require “permission from senators, the Senate Rules Committee, the Senate Sergeant at Arms or the Senate Radio and TV Gallery, depending on location, before conducting an on-camera interview with a senator anywhere in the Capitol or in the Senate office buildings.”
ALERT: Reporters at Capitol have been told they are not allow to film interviews with senators in hallways, contrary to years of precedent
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) June 13, 2017
This is a stunning change of precedent. https://t.co/AJ04NOUmjb
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 13, 2017
Skipping hearings, body slamming a reporter, restricting cameras is usually not a sign of confidence in the popular appeal of one’s agenda
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) June 13, 2017
We live in a time when technology could make government more transparent, thus trusted. But we’re led by the terminally opaque. https://t.co/xYG6mdsNU2
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) June 13, 2017
The real test of whether an elected official cares about 1st amendment is whether they’ll defend it when it’s INCONVENIENT. So far so bad https://t.co/l6KzME2Ti3
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) June 13, 2017
Have these people read the Constitution? https://t.co/ojpVPeY5hn
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) June 13, 2017
Carper: I’m deeply troubled by the new restrictions placed on reporter access in our nation’s Capitol//the very hallways of our democracy.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 13, 2017
Sounds like Putin’s Russia, not the USA. https://t.co/cGlGUNAL6T
— Stuart Rothenberg (@StuPolitics) June 13, 2017
Republican and chair of the Rules Committee Richard Shelby pushed back once this shocking change was reported by the media, saying that “no additional restrictions have een put in place by the Rules Committee.”
Shelby added that his committee “has been working with the various galleries to ensure compliance with existing rules”; however there are no previously known rules barring journalists and reporters from questioning Senators in the hallways outside their offices.
And Senator Amy Klobuchar, ranking democrat on the Rules Committee revealed that Shelby “just said it was a staff inquiry” that would be discussed by the committee, but not an implemented rule change.
Klobuchar said in a statement: “As ranking member of the Senate Rule Committee I call on the majority to allow reporting in the Capitol to proceed as usual.”
Just spoke with Senator Shelby. He said he wouldn’t move forward on change to press access without consulting me and we must hold him to it
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) June 13, 2017
Source Article from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OccupyCorporatism/~3/OjQDSKSZnu8/