Denial of Access

Total cases	26

Rhode Island judge orders journalists not to contact jurors after trial

May 3, 2018

On May 8, the judge issued a new order allowing journalists to contact jurors

Kentucky State Police spokesperson threatens news organizations with denial of access

March 16, 2018

A Kentucky State Police public affairs officer told a newspaper and a radio station that they had to wait until the state police sent out an official press release before reporting on breaking news.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert refuses question from Russian TV reporter

March 17, 2018

On March 1, 2018, at a U.S. State Department Press Briefing, spokesperson Heather Nauert refused to take a question from a reporter after learning the reporter worked for Channel One in Russia.The press briefing followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual state of the nation address, in which President Putin shared a video touting Russia’s new nuclear weapons capabilities. The video included an animation showing the launch of nuclear missiles. One of the missiles is shown flying over a piece of …

Health care reporter kicked off press call following critical coverage of federal agency

March 6, 2018

Virgil Dickinson, the Washington bureau chief for trade publication Modern Healthcare, was kicked off a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid …

California Highway Patrol officer stops local radio host, seizes his press pass

February 22, 2018

On January 20, 2018, a California Highway Patrol officer stopped local radio host Marcus Victor, who was reporting on mudslides …

Jim Acosta at White House briefing with Sean Spicer

White House aides shout down CNN’s Jim Acosta as he questions President Trump

January 24, 2018

CNN chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta said that White House aides shouted at him as he tried to ask …

Roy Moore campaign bans Washington Post reporters from election watch party

December 13, 2017

Reporters for the Washington Post were barred from entering an election-night party for Republican senate candidate Roy Moore in Montgomery, …

EPA removes reporter Ethan Stoetzer from Scott Pruitt event in Iowa

December 19, 2017

Ethan Stoetzer, a reporter with InsideSources Iowa, was removed from and prevented from covering an event with Scott Pruitt, the …

More Incidents

How we track Denials Of Access

Denial of access to government events that are traditionally open or attended by the press and where the denial of access either deprives the public of significant information, appears to be retaliatory, or is done without meaningful justification. Concrete changes in policy or practice to restrict or deny access may also be included in this category.

Denial of access to individuals in some cases, such as where the available space limits the number of journalists allowed to attend or where individuals arguing for access do not meet reasonable standards for credentials, can be seen as meaningful justifications and will not be included.