The Washington Free Beacon was told by Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff's campaign that it was not welcome to cover remarks that he was scheduled to deliver to supporters on the night before Tuesday's special election.
The Free Beacon was approached immediately upon entering Ossoff's Monday night event by Ossoff spokesperson Sacha Haworth, who proceeded to escort the reporter out of the event.
Asked why the Free Beacon was being restricted from covering the event, Haworth said, "Thank you very much for your interest in covering our race." Asked why the Free Beacon wasn't being allowed to cover the race despite its interest, Haworth said, "Thank you very much for your interest in covering our race."
The Ossoff campaign has previously declined to provide the Free Beacon with information on the campaign's schedule.
The @FreeBeacon has been told that it is not welcome at tonight's @ossoff event pic.twitter.com/lzXfForIGG
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) June 20, 2017
Numerous reporters gathered inside the campaign office for Ossoff's speech, during which he said that "politics does not have to be about ... division," according to the Associated Press, one of the outlets granted access to the event.
It is unclear whether any other outlets were restricted from covering the event. Ossoff's campaign declined to answer whether any other outlets had been barred.
The Ossoff campaign's decision to restrict press access to its event has been criticized widely, including by reporters from CNN, the Huffington Post, and the New York Times. Ben Jacobs of the Guardian, who ended up in a physical altercation with a Republican candidate on the eve of last month's special election in Montana, was also critical of the decision.
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D.), an MSNBC contributor, also praised the Free Beacon for being "half a step up from Daily Caller."
Sam i beg to differ. The Beacon engages in fake news and propaganda. Half a step up from Daily Caller. They are not legit. https://t.co/TQiR5UQsXn
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) June 20, 2017
Ossoff's event on Monday night was in Roswell, a town in Georgia's sixth district that is about a six-and-a-half-hour walk north of where Ossoff currently resides in Georgia's fifth district.