Maryland congressman threatens student journalist over recording

Reporter Cat Murphy was threatened with prosecution by Rep. Andy Harris while recording the Maryland Republican at a news conference in Cambridge, Maryland, on Oct. 13, 2026.

Murphy, a graduate student who writes for the University of Maryland’s Capital News Service, was recording Harris with her phone after his debate against Democratic challenger Dan Schwartz when the congressman confronted her.

“You do not have my permission to record. If you record, we will refer you to prosecutors,” Harris told Murphy, pointing his finger at her, according to a video of the encounter posted by the Baltimore Banner.

“Everyone in here is recording,” Murphy responded. “Why am I not allowed to?”

“Because I refuse to give you permission to do recording,” Harris said.

As other journalists continued recording, Murphy asked a colleague to hold her phone. Other reporters told Harris that they were in a public forum where reporting was permitted. Maryland’s two-party consent law does not apply to situations — such as news conferences — where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.

“I’m a legislator,” Harris said. “I actually know the law well.”

Murphy continued questioning Harris, asking him a question about the conflict in Iran.

“Take her camera,” Harris said in the video, speaking to someone off camera. “She is violating the law. In fact, get an officer in here.”

Harris accused Murphy of being disrespectful and insisted that it made no difference whether the exchange took place in public.

“Congressman, you said that you supported the First Amendment; what does this say about that?” Murphy asked.

The congressman replied by telling the group of reporters, “All right, guys, she’s ruining all your chances to get an answer about anything.” As he walked away, he added: “Thank her profusely.”

In a statement Wednesday, the university’s Merrill College of Journalism said that their students “know their rights as journalists.”

“Cat recorded openly in a public space alongside other news outlets, and that is her legal right,” the college’s dean, Rafael Lorente, said, adding that he is “proud of how she handled herself in a difficult situation.”

In an Oct. 14 interview with CNN, Murphy described the encounter as overwhelming but emphasized that she was determined to keep reporting.

“I was focused on doing my job and asking my questions that I wanted answers to, and I think I did that,” she said.

Neither Harris nor Murphy could immediately be reached for comment.