Reporters Blocked From Right Wing Candidates’ Campaign Event By, Uh, a Guy in a Tricorn Hat

Pennsylvania Republican senate primary candidate Kathy Barnette and state Rep. Doug Mastriano, running in the gubernatorial primary, held a campaign rally on Saturday and denied entry to a CBS News crew, Washington Post reporters, and others. In a rather unusual fashion, as seen in the two clips above.

Campaign correspondent Robert Costa can be seen in the video tweeted by his network asking why reporters were not being allowed access to the event.

CBS News and other outlets were refused entry at a campaign rally Saturday hosted by Kathy Barnette and Doug Mastriano. @Costareports was told repeatedly to not enter, with no explanation from the campaign. pic.twitter.com/ObyDQZbiyx

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 14, 2022

Equally as interesting was who was doing the blocking.

This guy is blocking press from entering the Mastriano/Barnette rally in Philly. He won’t answer any questions or make eye contact. pic.twitter.com/LTWuHlDMSg

— Colby Itkowitz (@ColbyItkowitz) May 14, 2022

That individual was caught on video by Washington Post politics reporter Colby Itkowitz. (Audio-enhanced clip above.)

Here’s video of the guy refusing to answer @costareports questions about who from the Mastriano campaign has authorized blocking press. pic.twitter.com/V6XXbsCYr2

— Colby Itkowitz (@ColbyItkowitz) May 14, 2022

Itkowitz also explained why simply bypassing hat guy didn’t work.

A few of you have wondered why we didn’t just walk around the guy telling us we couldn’t get into the Mastriano/Barnette rally. When we tried they brought out all these guys to stop us. pic.twitter.com/sz2e52E10X

— Colby Itkowitz (@ColbyItkowitz) May 14, 2022

Still, at least one kind of media was allowed into the event.

Got into the Barnette / Mastriano event for which press was barred. I’ll have audio on @Px3Tweets.

I simply asked nicely and was let in because “podcasts aren’t real media”

An amazing moment in journalism. pic.twitter.com/BPLeifJuHa

— Justin Robert Young (@JustinRYoung) May 14, 2022

Barnette is facing Trump-endorsed Mehmet Oz in her primary, and faced withering criticism from both Donald Trump and Fox’s Sean Hannity.

Mastriano has likewise been opposed by fellow Republicans in the state. It’s not the first time one of his events has barred the press.

Watch the clips above, via CBS News and the Washington Post.