Donald Trump’s presidential campaign had a reporter thrown out of his superspreader Michigan rally on Thursday night because she snapped photos of his largely maskless crowd of supporters.
New York Times correspondent Kathy Gray tweeted, “I’ve just been kicked out of the Trump rally.”
In a second tweet, she explained that the president’s campaign tracked her down and escorted her out of the event because of pictures she tweeted. Gray said it was the first time she’s ever been removed from a political rally.
I’ve just been kicked out of the trump rally.
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— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) September 10, 2020
First for me: Trump campaign tracked me down from pics i tweeted and escorted me out.
— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) September 10, 2020
Before she was removed the event, Gray tweeted out several photos of the crowd, nothing that there were “not many masks” in the “crammed” group of people at the event.
Crammed in crowd in the rain for trump rally in michigan. Not many masks pic.twitter.com/5DZ6JBVNK8
— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) September 10, 2020
“Trump rally in freeland attracts thousands,” she tweeted. “Maybe 10% have masks.”
Trump rally in freeland attracts thousands . Maybe 10% have masks.
— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) September 10, 2020
Instead of waging war on the free press, stop holding these dangerous rallies
While the Trump campaign sees reporters as the enemy, the real threat is a deadly virus that still continues to kill hundreds of Americans everyday. It’s a virus that Trump continues to downplay eight months after the first case hit U.S. shores.
Instead of having journalists thrown out for reporting on a campaign rally that poses a threat to public health, perhaps it’s a better idea for the Trump campaign not to hold the events at all.
Not only would that save them the trouble of having to forcefully remove reporters from their rallies, but it would save lives.
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Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.