Video taken by News4’s partners at the Baltimore Banner shows Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., telling a University of Maryland student reporter that she didn’t have permission to record him and threatening legal action.
“You don’t have my permission to record! If you record, we will refer you to the prosecutor,” Harris told the student reporter.
“Everyone here is recording,” the student journalist said.
“But you’re not allowed to. We’re in a bipartisan state,” Harris said, citing Maryland’s wiretapping and electronic surveillance law, which makes it a crime to record private conversations without the consent of both participants. However, the law only protects private conversations and recording is permitted in situations where there is no “reasonable expectation of privacy.”
The exchange lasted several minutes.
The reporter then tried to ask Harris what he thought about the war in Iran.
“You said it could have gone easier and it could have gone better. What did you mean by that?” she asked.
“You’re going to have to take his camera,” said Harris, who is seeking re-election. “She’s breaking the law. In fact, get an officer involved here.”
News4 reached out to Harris’ office for comment but did not receive a response.
Harris, who is seeking a ninth term in the House, had just left a contentious debate, during which he faced audience scrutiny over the war in Iran and rising diesel prices.
Banner reporter Pamela Wood shared in a social media post Wednesday that Harris invited reporters to interview her after the debate. The video shows several journalists participating in the post-debate rally.
Attorney Kevin Goldberg, vice president of the Freedom Forum, a nonprofit that supports the First Amendment, said Maryland’s bipartisan consent laws would not apply in this case because Harris was speaking to a group of reporters in a public space.
“If a journalist has the right to be in a space and work as a journalist, they can’t be denied that right just because someone doesn’t like the media coverage or someone doesn’t like the questions or someone doesn’t like their point of view,” Goldberg said.
This is how Harris’ conversation with reporters ultimately ended:
“Congressman, you said you support the First Amendment – what does that say about that?” » asked the university reporter.
“Alright guys, she’s ruining your chance to get an answer on anything. See you soon. Thank her profusely,” Harris responded.
Harris’ Democratic opponent, Dan Schwartz, released a statement saying in part that “the message of the evening was clear, Andy Harris is out of touch, unaccustomed to talking to voters and far more interested in picking fights and telling his story than offering real answers.”
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