Senator to reporter: “None of your business” when education plan will be ready

Melissa Luck by Melissa Luck

Several media organizations across Washington expressed concern this week over a senator’s response to a reporter’s question, asking when Republicans would have their education funding plan ready. Senator Mark Schoesler’s response? “None of your business.”

#ICYMI: Video of Sen. Mark Schoesler telling reporter it is “none of your business” when Repubs will release plan to fully fund education. pic.twitter.com/A4BeEgNmQ3

— Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) January 18, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Schoesler later said in his blog that he was upset about the way the question was asked. He felt it was asked in a partisan way, not from the objective standpoint a journalist would take.

In the days that followed, several Washington journalists have expressed frustration with Sen. Schoesler’s comments and treatment of the journalist. The Seattle Times also wrote an editorial, saying it is absolutely the people’s business.

Then, Senator Michael Baumgartner from Spokane jumped into the fray. He’s been on Twitter mocking journalists for their concern over the treatment of other journalists. He’s taken to calling the affair #NotYoBidnessGate, calling it “cringe embarrassing for WA journos.”

KXLY reached out to Senator Baumgartner, asking if he’d like to share a serious response to the issue. Here’s his reply:

As far as the original issue, the question over when Republicans plan to release their education funding plan, Sen. Schoesler wrote, “Our plan will be ready when it’s ready. Let me say here that it will be ready very soon.”

We’ll make it our business to let you know when that happens.

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