JUSTICE

MAGA Lawmaker’s Restraining Order Against Reporter Scrapped

The judge said “investigative reporting is a legitimate purpose. It just is.”

A judge on Wednesday dismissed Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers’ restraining order against a journalist who had been investigating where she lived. Judge Howard Grodman said Arizona Capitol Times reporter Camryn Sanchez’s conduct did not amount to harassment. “I don’t think there is a series of events directed at Sen. Rogers that would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed even if she in fact was,” Grodman said following a hearing at the Flagstaff Justice Court. “The strongest point is investigative reporting is a legitimate purpose. It just is.” First Amendment experts expressed outrage when the restraining order was initially approved last month after Sanchez sought to establish whether or not Rogers’ primary residence is located in her legislative district.