Rep. Andy Harris Threatens Journalist With Prosecution

Republican Rep. Andy Harris confronted Capital News Service reporter Cat Murphy after a debate in Cambridge, Maryland, when she recorded his post-event press conference and asked about his remarks on the war in Iran. Harris argued Maryland's two-party consent law barred recording without his permission, threatened to refer her to a prosecutor, called for an officer, and demanded her camera be taken. Other journalists present were recording too. Reporters in the room disputed his legal claim and defended Murphy. Maryland's two-party consent law generally applies only where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, which press conferences typically lack. Harris left without answering the Iran question. The exchange followed a contentious debate in which he also scolded audience members over reactions to his diesel-price comments.