E&P Quick Reads But the Iowa Press Association was suspect of the justification. In December 2021, the Iowa Press Association became a plaintiff in a lawsuit against Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds over freedom of information violations. In context to the filing, the new gallery restrictions seemed retaliatory. Something similar is unfolding at Utah’s statehouse, where credentialed reporters are restricted from the House and Senate floors and now need “permission” to interview lawmakers. In early February 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit against the state’s Attorney General (AG), Todd Rokita, on behalf of a journalist — Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, who’s covered state government for nearly two decades. He is the editor-publisher of the Indy Politics website and a radio show host. In October 2021, he was banned from attending the AG’s press events. Rokita alleged Shabazz was a “gossip columnist.” The ACLU explained in a statement: “The actions taken by the Attorney General came after Shabazz was selected to moderate a Republican Senate debate in 2018, in which then-candidate Rokita was participating. It is reported that
then-candidate Rokita objected to Mr. Shabazz moderating the debate and stated that the debate should be moderated by conservatives, not ‘liberal media figures.’” Fortunately, these incidents are anecdotal and not widespread. Laurie Hieb, executive director for the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, reported to E&P, “Our capital has been closed for business for two sessions now, so it has been even more difficult for anyone to get to lawmakers. I know some states have been open the entire time. When we are open, we don’t have the problem you describe, or at least I haven’t heard of them from my members.” California government reporters still enjoy access to state legislators. However, only lawmakers and their staff are allowed directly on the floor, Brittney Barsotti, general counsel for the California News Publishers Association (CNPA), pointed out. “If you wish to speak with a member, you are allowed to have the sergeant at arms pass a business card to the member, or reach out to staff, and the legislator can leave the floor to talk to you. It has been that way for a while here, and it applies equally,” she told E&P in an email.
Things are different in Kansas, where new restrictive rules are in place. “This was pretty out of the blue for us,” Emily Bradbury, the executive director of the Kansas Press Association, told E&P. “There really wasn’t much advanced warning. … It breaks an almost 150-year tradition here in Kansas.” Proponents contended that reporters have more access to the statehouse than ever through live streaming — access the association had lobbied for, incidentally. They also questioned press credentials. “We feel that access to lawmakers immediately, whether it’s during a vote or debate, allowed our reporters to make things even more transparent, to get clarification, to make their reporting even better because they were able to ask those questions in real time,” Bradbury explained to E&P in our follow-up. The association offered to help lawmakers fairly revise the rules. No one took them up on the offer. Bradbury said Kansas is notorious for being “one of the most secretive states.” “We are by no means the poster child for transparency,” she added, “and we really want to make sure this doesn’t go any further.”—GAP
The Cardinal News The new voice for rural Virginia
L
uanne Rife, a longtime journalist with The Roanoke Times, needed new inspiration for her career, so she left the Times in early 2021 as the staff and coverage continued to contract. (The Times had been purchased the year before by Lee Enterprises, who is currently in a
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battle to save its papers from takeover by hedge fund Alden Global Capital.) She wasn’t sure what would come next, but quickly she was involved in launching The Cardinal News. Living and working in the Roanoke region of Virginia, she recognized the need for in-depth local news coverage that The Roanoke Times couldn’t
offer. Her timing was excellent as the mostly rural area of the state The Cardinal News covers — what she calls “Southwest and Southside Virginia” — was evolving from its coal, textile and tobacco stereotypes to embracing the technology sector. “The reinvention of our area of Virginia had many interesting stories, editorandpublisher.com
