Staffers of the Utah Legislature are defending their denial of press credentials to independent reporter Bryan Schott by arguing that it does not violate his First Amendment rights. Schott filed a lawsuit demanding a credential to cover the legislature, claiming he was denied due to his reporting, which the Republican leadership objected to. The defendants argue that the legislature’s policy distinguishes between “established” news organizations and bloggers, with the current policy in place for the last two years. They also state that the denial of Schott’s credentials was due to his status as a self-edited reporter without an established track record.
Schott’s complaint mentions that he has been unable to attend certain events typically open to reporters. The response from the staffers defends the denial of credentials by citing recent changes in media access at the White House. The lawsuit seeks court costs, attorney’s fees, and nominal damages. Schott’s work has been called into question, with accusations of lacking journalistic ethics. The case is scheduled for a hearing before Judge Robert J. Shelby.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.