Capitol Hill reporters say they have been told to acquire new permissions before interviewing and filming senators in public areas of the United States Capitol or risk being removed and/or arrested by U.S. Capitol Police.
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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
NEW: The Sen Rules Cmte now wants us to request approval from them for EVERY on-cam interview of a Senator in the hallway we want to conduct
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) June 13, 2017
This includes the public office buildings, which are open to anyone. This is a very bad policy, designed to restrict coverage. Period. https://t.co/BBTThAEJ8F
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) June 13, 2017
Reporters who want to interview a senator on camera must now apply for access to the senator.
All interviews in public areas must be cleared with the Senate Rules Committee, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and/or the Senate Radio and TV Gallery, depending where the interview is to take place, as well as the senator they hope to talk to.
The new policy covers televised interviews in hallways that are open to the public. Traditionally, press members gather in these areas to question senators about legislation or “stake out” committee hearings to ask questions of Senators as they leave.
The new rule, imposed without warning, places new restrictions on the press on the same day the President of the United States tweeted that media organizations have an “agenda of hate.”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/874576057579565056
New restrictions threaten to put even more distance between politicians and the outlets assigned to cover them. A number have publicly stated their disagreement with it, mostly Democrats. Some have tied the new restrictions to the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Maybe not the right moment to lower the secrecy veil on Congress. To whoever is trying to protect Senators – we can fend for ourselves. https://t.co/YSbTuaIZKV
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 13, 2017
This is not right. Free press is essential to our #WeThePeople democracy. Reporters, I'm on your side. https://t.co/a1ZI0oA6mk
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 13, 2017
Sen. Graham on press access: "Y'all are kind of a pain in the ass but I don't mind you hanging around."
— Matt Flegenheimer (@mattfleg) June 13, 2017
So far, just Republican Senator Tim Scott has defended the rule, saying, apparently in complete seriousness, that it’s about identity theft.
Incredible defense of cracking down on TV cameras from Senator Tim Scott: cameras could catch the PIN numbers of senators at ATM machines.
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) June 13, 2017
The Hill reports that last month, the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms, the “doorkeeper” of the Senate, warned members of the press that crowding in the public hallways was becoming “dangerous.”
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The statement from the Sergeant at Arms says: “The Senate Sergeant at Arms is monitoring this situation and considering actions in these areas as a response to safety concerns […] Under their own determination, Senate officials may act to correct overcrowding situations in the Senate Subway area or in the Ohio Clock Corridor area.”
This statement addresses just two choke points traditionally used by members of the press in the Senate.
Today’s restrictions cover the entire building.