Journalists critique press restrictions at Vance-DeSantis political rally in Ohio

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Journalists criticized press restrictions at an Ohio political rally, where Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke in support of J.D. Vance, the 2022 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio. The restrictions were part of an ongoing trend at conservative political events across the United States. 

Key Players

J.D. Vance, a conservative commentator, venture capitalist, bestselling memoirist, and Republican nominee for the 2022 U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, gained prominent endorsements, including from former President Donald Trump and Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, representing the east coast of Florida, from Jacksonville suburbs to New Smyrna Beach. Recognized as a staunch conservative, he has been rumored to be considering a presidential campaign in 2024.

Turning Point Action (TPA), a conservative nonprofit, acquired Students for Trump, a pro-Trump student-led movement, in July 2019. TPA, a “pro-Trump GOP youth group,” organized the Ohio rally, The Washington Post reported.    

Further Details

Increasingly, Republicans, specifically those loyal to former President Donald Trump, have limited press access at campaign events for the 2022 midterms. 

For instance, prior to losing the July 12 special election to fill a vacancy in Alaska’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Sarah Palin, the state’s former governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee, announced the media would not be welcome at any of her public events during her campaign for a full term, despite Trump headlining a July 9 rally in her support. Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, and Doug Mastriano, a Pennsylvania state senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate, have also limited press access.    

In July 2022, the Florida GOP restricted press credentials for the “Sunshine Summit,” a significant fundraising dinner for the Republican Party of Florida. While outlets such as Politico, The New York Times, and The Post were denied access, conservative outlets such as Breitbart and Florida Voices reportedly were given access. It was the first time in seven years that media media restrictions had been enacted at the summit, Politico reported.  

“We in the state of Florida are not going to allow legacy media outlets to be involved in our primaries,” DeSantis said at the Sunshine Summit, per The Post. 

On Aug. 19, press coverage was limited at the “Unite to Win” rally in Ohio, a TPA-sponsored event to support Vance. Ahead of the rally, TPA released a list of policies that media outlets and journalists widely criticized as unusually restrictive. 

News 5 Cleveland reported these included the right for TPA to “have access to footage for archival and promotional purposes … and to know in what manner the footage will be utilized.” 

Media coverage of certain areas and materials, including “media shown on the screens during the event,” was also prohibited. The venue was reportedly split into approved and unapproved areas by TPA.

Chris Quinn of The Plain Dealer wrote, “The worst of the rules was one prohibiting reporters from interviewing attendees not first approved by the organizers of the event for DeSantis and Vance. When we cover events, we talk to anyone we wish. It’s America … the land of free speech.”

Outcome

Journalists react 

Several journalists and news outlets declined to cover the event on principle. 

Cleveland News 5 did not cover the event as the outlet said it normally does not cover non-presidential campaign stops. The Plain Dealer did not attend the rally “because of ridiculous restrictions that DeSantis and Vance placed on anyone covering the event.” Marty Schladen, a reporter for the Ohio Capital Journal, tweeted that the restrictions seemed “a little anti-democratic.” 

Outlets were also hesitant to hand footage over to TPA, expressing concern it could be used for political advertisements. 

Andrew Kolvet, a TPA representative, told The Post that press requirements “protect the organization from being taken advantage of by organizations or companies. … These policies also maintain guest and speaker privacy.” TPA also said restrictions protected underage attendees.

Large public attendance at rally, Trump later stumps for Vance at September rally  

Despite criticism, 21WFMJ reported a large turnout at the Youngstown rally, where DeSantis and Vance “criticized everyone from journalists to medical experts to teachers.”

In September 2022, Trump joined Vance at the Youngstown rally, expressing concern about “a Federal Bureau of Investigation that won’t allow bad, election-changing facts to be presented to the public” and that  “free speech is no longer allowed,” the Times reported.