A MAGA California County Supervisor, Kevin Crye, is going extreme at limiting media freedom. During a Shasta County board meeting on Tuesday, the supervisor was caught on camera restraining a reporter from asking him questions. Even more, he threatened to call the authorities on the reporter.
Footage capturing the moment was posted on TikTok and filmed from the reporter’s perspective. The clip opened up, showing the public meeting room, and Crye announced that he would take questions from the media. However, when the correspondent recording the clip addressed him, the California spokesperson shunned him, saying he would only speak to the real media.
Defending himself, the reporter explained that he was certified. “I’m a registered media,” explained the journalist. “Do you want me to produce my documents?” At this point, another correspondent could be seen entering the private area of the room carrying a tripod and a camera. As soon as he passed, Crye immediately blocked the entrance with a belt divider. When the reporter filming the TikTok video crossed the barricade, the supervisor ordered him out.
“Get out of here. You can’t be back here,” the supervisor ordered. He then issued directives to an unseen person, saying, “Grab the Sheriff! He’s trespassing.” Again, the reporter explained that he was registered. However, the explanations did little to nothing to calm the supervisor, who alleged he was trespassing.
The reporter filming also showed another journalist, named David Brenda, to whom Crye also denied access. Meanwhile, the supervisor can be seen entering a private room with the only media person to whom he granted access.
The video has now sparked reactions from TikTok users, with some alleging that the politician was hiding something. “What’s he needing to hide?” One user asked while another penned, “This is getting out of control! They are not hiding at all, and it’s being loud.”
Other users raised concerns about press freedom. “This is what American freedom looks like,” one netizen complained. Another wrote, “The leftists kept warning y’all for years now. Look what happened. They were correct about most things.”
A fifth comment read, “So only the media he approves of. I hate this country!” Some even compared the supervisor to Donald Trump. “Notice how the official is literally dressed EXACTLY like Trump?” an observer asked, to which another spectator replied, “Very culty.”
After the incident, the elected supervisor issued a statement concerning why he restricted some media. According to him, he has the right to choose which media to talk to, and so he picked Mike Mangus from KRC. He further described Mangus as fair while criticizing other media outlets. He says, “I’m done talking to most of the garbage media that just put out propaganda that has no basis for wanting to get other people’s stories.”
Despite the awful situation, County Supervisor Kevin Crye feels unrepentant about his actions. Talk about freedom of the press.
