IABJ statement on the incident between the campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and our President Ty Rushing

The Iowa Association of Black Journalists is incensed by our president

Ty Rushing’s treatment from the Ron DeSantis campaign and the

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Harlan on Friday, August 11.

Mr. Rushing posted the unedited video of his encounter with

deputies to his social media account shortly after it happened.

Despite completing the credential process with the DeSantis

campaign for this event, Mr. Rushing was stonewalled from the

facility by law enforcement without a proper explanation for why he

could not enter the building.

The repeated phrase “it is what it is” does not suffice as an

explanation. What it “is,” judging from the unbroken two-minute clip

Mr. Rushing posted, is intimidation towards an experienced political

reporter doing his job.

Voters in Iowa and across the country deserve to hear what

potential leaders have to say about us before we cast our votes. It is

our duty as reporters to be the eyes and ears in spaces where those

views are discussed. The First Amendment exists to give Americans

the freedom to hear the unfiltered truth, and Mr. Rushing’s treatment

in Harlan is the opposite of freedom and liberty.

Mr. Rushing’s treatment struck a nerve with journalists because we

know freedom is fragile. We all suffer when public figures are not

held accountable for their words and actions, especially when

public law enforcement is seemingly used for private intimidation.

We stand behind Mr. Rushing and all journalists who will never back

down in the pursuit of truth and transparency.

Taj Simmons, Nixson Benítez, Dana James, Dwana Bradley, Iowa Association of Black Journalists