Summary of the News Story
Mary Ellen Klas is a reporter of a Miami Herald Tampa bay news reporter who was barred from attending the Covid 19 Press conference by Gov Ron Desantis in Tallahassee.
Governor, Desantis might have thought it right to restrict the reporter from attending the press conference. Nonetheless, his actions only proved to be petty (The Miami Herald Editorial Board, 2020). President Trump has been playing politics with most republican Governors and even has gone forth to threaten to deny them Coronavirus aid if they do not comply with his demands. Governor Desantis restricted Mary Klaus from entering the press conference, and He offered another free access, special treatment, and even a car to take a ride. Klas was denied access, and even the questions that she presented to the governor went unanswered while Journalist Mike Vasilinda was also offered special treatment.
This case clearly shows a violation of the First Amendment based on the seventh circuit as per a 2015 Judicial Ruling which stated that a public official or leader who in any instance tried to shut down an avenue of expression through threats and power sanctions and imposition from a governmental power violates the First Amendment, (The Miami Herald Editorial Board, 2020). In this case, Governor Desantis, who is a lawyer and also a governor, is a person who tried to shut down Klas from an avenue of expressing his views and questions about the Virus in his press conference. Therefore, in essence, he violates the First Amendment.
This case is particularly important, especially for the media and journalists, because Journalists are the ones who offer information to the Public about trending issues. The fact that the Coronavirus is a worldwide Pandemic call for all hands on deck in providing every bit of information to the general public. A significant majority of Floridians read media outlets and newspapers such as The Times and Tampa bay newspapers.