Journal Sentinel reporters denied access to Tom Tiffany's roundtable event in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Just days after President Donald Trump banned select media outlets from the White House, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor blocked the state's biggest newspaper from covering his event in Milwaukee.

Our cameras were recording Thursday as Congressman Tom Tiffany's campaign staff told two reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they were not allowed to cover a veterans roundtable event in downtown Milwaukee Thursday.

CBS 58 reporter A.J. Bayatpour asked Tiffany if he knew the campaign would block the paper's reporters from entering and if he'd adopt a policy as governor banning outlets he perceives to be unfair or unfavorable.

Tiffany noted a Journal Sentinel photographer was allowed into the event, even though the two reporters were not allowed in.

"You're seeing this campaign as it unfolds," Tiffany said. "I do these press gaggles all the time after doing events like this. What's my opponent doing? Are you asking him about that?"

The decision came just days after President Donald Trump revoked White House press access from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.

Journalists from all three outlets were allowed back on the White House grounds Thursday after a federal judge temporarily blocked the media ban.

The move to block the two Journal Sentinel reporters was a sharp contrast to what Tiffany told reporters Tuesday at the Wisconsin Counties Association meeting in Wisconsin Dells. He was asked then if his administration would ban any press.

"Even when the press has been slanted, as we've seen with the Journal Sentinel with some of their stories, we still have them here today," Tiffany said.

At the WCA event Tuesday, Democratic nominee David Crowley was also asked whether he'd ban any press as governor.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what party you support or what candidate you support," Crowley said. "We want to make sure that information can get out to the masses, to the voters."

At Thursday's event, Tiffany pivoted to Crowley, accusing him of being less transparent. A CBS 58 reporter noted it was Tiffany's campaign who blocked the Journal Sentinel at Thursday's event.

"I think you should follow up with Mr. Crowley and ask him if he's going to be as open and transparent as I am," Tiffany said. "I'll have to go back and talk to my communications team in regards. I see- when I went around and did introductions at the start of this, there's a Journal Sentinel employee here who is shooting pictures."

A Tiffany campaign staffer later acknowledged the Journal Sentinel photographer being allowed in, and he said the campaign had an issue with specific Journal Sentinel reporters they believed were unfair without elaborating further.

Greg Borowski, the executive editor of the Journal Sentinel, responded to the access denial in a statement Thursday.

"Our aim is to help voters understand the candidates, their backgrounds and their positions," Borowski said. "We will continue to pursue fair and unbiased coverage, despite campaigns creating unnecessary hurdles."