RantCrush Top 5: June 14, 2017

Yesterday morning, Senate staff told reporters that they could no longer film interviews with senators at the Capitol, citing safety issues. Reports would need to get special permits from each senator’s office and the Senate Rules Committee. But after facing angry criticism from reporters and several senators, the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Richard Shelby, backtracked. He explained it as a case of miscommunication, and said, “It wasn’t anything I did.”

Shelby said there had been discussions about reporters “harassing” lawmakers, and that some people in his staff probably had talked to the press galleries, which oversee the media. He said the press galleries must have mistaken the discussions as actual rule changes. But most people didn’t buy that explanation, given that some senators are currently writing the Senate’s version of the AHCA behind closed doors.

Coincidence? This comes as Senate Republicans try to push through health care legislation behind closed doors. https://t.co/AJ04NOUmjb

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 13, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.