In a recent incident mirroring national political tensions, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany’s campaign barred a seasoned journalist from attending his event on Thursday. This action came shortly after a similar move by President Donald Trump at the White House, where he restricted access for certain media outlets.
A video shared by CBS 58 captures the moment when Eric Brooks, a staff member of Tiffany’s campaign, prevented Mary Spicuzza, a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, from joining a roundtable discussion. Brooks was quoted by the paper expressing that the campaign desires fair coverage from the Journal Sentinel before allowing access.
Tiffany’s campaign defended their decision on social media, labeling Spicuzza as a “liberal activist” and explaining that this was the reason other media representatives were admitted while she was excluded.
Greg Borowski, Executive Editor of the Journal Sentinel, stated that the campaign had not communicated any concerns directly with him and emphasized the importance of journalistic access. “When our reporters cover campaigns and attend political events, they are there on behalf of the public,” Borowski stated. “Blocking them blocks the public from vital information.”
Despite the campaign’s actions, Borowski assured that the Journal Sentinel remains committed to impartially reporting on the campaign and its candidates.
Another video from CBS 58 shows Tiffany addressing the issue of Spicuzza’s exclusion, noting that he frequently interacts with the press and allowed a Journal Sentinel photographer at the event. When queried about the decision to block Spicuzza, Tiffany stated he would need to consult with his communications team.
Tiffany also critiqued his Democratic rival, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, accusing him of being “managed” by his campaign’s communications team. “I think you should follow up with Mr. Crowley and ask him if he’s going to be as open and transparent as I am,” Tiffany remarked.
In response, Crowley told WPR, “Congressman Tom Tiffany likes to lie,” highlighting that Tiffany had previously assured reporters that he would not exclude them from his events. “He literally said that … he would never turn away a reporter from covering his events,” Crowley said. “And two days later, he did exactly that.”
This incident follows closely on the heels of President Trump’s ban on reporters from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House, a move that was temporarily overturned by a federal judge.
In a related legal precedent, the conservative MacIver Institute for Public Policy had unsuccessfully sued Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in 2019 over restricted press access, with the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting their appeal.
WPR’s Joe Schulz contributed reporting.
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