Denial of Access

Total cases	63

Judge rules in favor of Minnesota journalist barred from COVID-19 briefing calls

April 28, 2020

Scott Johnson, co-founder of the digital-only outlet Power Line, filed a lawsuit against the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health and the director of the department’s communications office after he said he’d been barred from accessing the department’s daily teleconference on April 28, 2020.According to the suit, the MDH had started hosting daily press briefings in late February to field a rise in information requests concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and the department’s response. On April 9, Johnson, who did …

Florida journalist barred from governor’s COVID-19 briefing

March 28, 2020

A reporter was barred from attending a press conference held by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on the COVID-19 pandemic at …

Fresno Bee reporters barred from event with cabinet secretary, house representative

February 18, 2020

California newspaper The Fresno Bee says it was barred from attending an event with Rep. Devin Nunes and the U.S.…

Journalist barred from recording, removed from New Mexico Senate proceeding

February 6, 2020

Rachel Knapp, a reporter for dual CBS/Fox-affiliate KRQE, was barred from recording and removed from a state Senate committee meeting …

State Department removes NPR reporter from official trip

January 27, 2020

In apparent retaliation for an NPR reporter’s interview with Mike Pompeo, the State Department removed a different NPR reporter from …

Media access restricted as historic impeachment trial begins

January 16, 2020

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger implemented restrictions on media access in advance of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, which …

BuzzFeed says its immigration reporter was excluded from DHS border tour

September 16, 2019

BuzzFeed News immigration reporter Hamed Aleaziz was disinvited from a Department of Homeland Security tour of the border on Sept. …

Journalists barred from asylum hearings held in tent courts at border

September 11, 2019

Members of the media were barred from observing asylum hearings held in two tent complexes in the Texas border cities …

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.