Ramaswamy Team Cuts Off Access to Conservative Reporter Over Bad Press
FREE SPEECH ABSOLUTIST
GOP presidential candidate and “free speech absolutist” Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign cut off access to a Washington Free Beacon reporter after the conservative media outlet reported on the candidate’s appearance on an antisemitic YouTuber’s podcast. After Ramaswamy was interviewed this week by right-wing social media influencer Albert Faleski, also known as An0maly, Free Beacon senior investigative reporter Alana Goodman reported on Faleski’s history of antisemitism. On Wednesday, Goodman wrote that Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the campaign would no longer facilitate access between the Free Beacon and the candidate over the article, adding that the outlet had acted in “bad faith.” According to Goodman, while Ramaswamy was unaware of Faleski’s comments before the appearance, he “might have appeared on the show even if he was aware because of the campaign’s open media policy.” McLaughlin, meanwhile, told The Daily Beast that lack of access only applies to Goodman, who has reported extensively on Ramaswamy in recent weeks. “That is inaccurate. We will continue working with the Free Beacon, just not the forenamed reporter who continually operates in bad faith,” McLaughlin said.