Newsom vetoes bill to protect journalists

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would protect journalists covering marches, protests, demonstrations and rallies. In doing so, Newsom has rejected a sensible set of protections for journalists doing the important work of covering tumultous and significant events. We encourage the Legislature to revisit these protections in the future.

Senate Bill 629, introduced by Sen. Mike McGuire, DHealdsburg, would allow “a duly authorized representative of any news service, online news service, newspaper, or radio or television station or network” to perform its constitutionally protected activities in areas closed by the police.

The law would shield those duly authorized representatives of the media “authorized or permitted to be in a closed area from being cited for the failure to disperse, a violation of a curfew or a violation of resisting, delaying or obstructing, as specified.”

The vast majority of both the Assembly and state Senate recognized the value of the press and their coverage of what are often tumultuous and significant gatherings and recognized the need to protect the press from unjustified interference by police.

The law was approved in the Assembly by a vote of 49-7 in the Assembly and 31-2 in the state Senate.

Journalists across the nation have already been hurt while covering news events from both those in law enforcement and demonstrators on all sides.

Coupled with that is President Donald Trump’s continued use of the term “fake news” whenever he hears something he doesn’t like. That has lessened the respect people have with the media and those trying to report what’s going on. Now, Trump has also refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power which has seemingly galvanized homegrown terrorist groups (we won’t call them militias), who have already targeted state lawmakers.

In Michigan, the alleged foiled plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor is a jarring example of how the anti-government movement in the U.S. has become an internet-driven hodgepodge of conspiracy theorists who have redirected their rage from Washington toward state capitols.

“And this is largely due to the fact that Donald Trump, who the militia movement supports, is at the head of the federal government,” said Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. “But they can much more easily be angry at state governors, especially Democratic ones, but sometimes even Republican ones, who are involved with gun-control efforts or lockdown or antipandemic measures.”

“There’s no question that these hate groups are domestic terrorists and I think we need to call them that,” Whitmer said. “We need leadership who steps up and takes it on. We need it coming out of the White House, we need it coming out of all of our statehouses as well.”

That includes Newsom. Assuming the worst and that our nation is unable to escape a constitutional crisis, then there is the distinct prospect of major work stoppages, and mass protest movements along the lines of Black Lives Matter. That will require more reporting and people afraid of being harmed can’t — and maybe shouldn’t — work under such conditions. That affects your ability to get factual and timely information.

Newsom unfortunately chose to reject Senate 629 on the grounds that “individuals who may pose a security risk,” like “white nationalists, extreme anarchists or other fringe groups” might be protected by the law. You know, because security risks like “white nationalists” and “extreme anarchists” are known for engaging “in gathering, receiving, or processing information,” carrying business cards and press badges and/or “carrying professional broadcasting or recording equipment,” activities protected by the bill.

As the California News Publishers Association notes, the language used in SB629 is the same as language used in the long-existing statute allowing journalists access to cover high-risk incidents like wildfires and floods.

The Legislature should give it another go and either override Newsom’s veto or put forth new legislation.

The vast majority of those in the Assembly and Senate recognized the value of the press and their coverage.