Democrats blast GOP for denying Hearst reporter access to convention

J.R. Romano, state Republican chairman, banned Hearst Connecticut Media reporter Neil Vigdor from Monday’s state convention in Hartford. J.R. Romano, state Republican chairman, banned Hearst Connecticut Media reporter Neil Vigdor from Monday’s state convention in Hartford. Photo: Contributed Photo / Chris Bruno /Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo / Chris Bruno /Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Democrats blast GOP for denying Hearst reporter access to convention 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

HARTFORD — The chairman of the Republican State Central Committee on Friday denied Hearst Connecticut Media’s political reporter access to the party’s Monday convention.

J.R. Romano, of Derby, turned down Neil Vigdor’s request to attend the event in the Connecticut Convention Center, for what he characterized as a series of negative stories about state Republicans that used anonymous sources.

“I’m tired of him having unnamed sources,” Romano said Friday. “I question his motivations. Neil Vigdor is not treating us fairly. I just want to be treated fairly. I’m not being treated fairly.”

Romano later sent a fundraising email to the Connecticut GOP membership calling the reporter an “anti-Republican blogger,” and that “I've had enough with unfair, biased media coverage of our party and candidates.” He then solicited donations to “fight against liberal bias.”

State Democrats blasted the action, charging that for a party so focused on the importance of the U.S. Constitution, Romano is ignoring the freedom of the press.

Barbara T. Roessner, executive editor of the Hearst Connecticut Media Group, said Romano’s exclusion of Vigdor will not affect readers. Vigdor will cover the event Monday whether he’s in the Convention Center or not, she said.

“Political reporter Neil Vigdor will continue to provide fair and independent coverage of the state party nominating conventions this weekend,” Roessner said. “Our job is to get information, analysis and insight to the public. A free press doesn’t require approval from the state Republican Party, or anyone else.”

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said he was unaware of the issues involved. “The press has a job to do,” said Boughton, who was a GOP gubernatorial candidate before dropping out in 2014. “I’m not going to criticize the chairman, but hopefully all parties will sit down and figure it out.”

Romano said dozens of state reporters and photographers have been accredited for Monday’s event, which will nominate a GOP challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, as well as congressional candidates. Political parties routinely allow reporters from a wide range of the news media access to their conventions.

The Hearst Connecticut Media Group includes the Connecticut Post, The Advocate of Stamford, The News-Times of Danbury, The Hour of Norwalk and Greenwich Time, as well as several weekly newspapers and websites.

James H. Smith, president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information and a former editor of the Connecticut Post, said he was appalled by Romano’s refusal to let Vigdor do his job.

“Since when do politicians get to decide who will cover politics in America?” Smith said. “I suggest J.R. Romano re-read the First Amendment, the part about not abridging freedom of speech or the press. Neil Vigdor is one of Connecticut’s finest reporters. This smacks of Donald Trump trying to quash Megyn Kelly. No one who believes in democracy should put up with such shenanigans.”

State Senate Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven said Romano was heading down a dangerous path.

“This is a gross abuse of power and just another example of the Republican Party’s open hostility toward reporters,” Looney said. “Every serious Republican in Connecticut should condemn Chairman Romano’s actions and call on him to respect the First Amendment. If they don’t, they’re complicit in blocking the media from informing the public.”

Leigh Appleby, Connecticut Democratic Party spokesman, said the tactic of exclusion could have been picked up from Donald J. Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential candidate.

“The Trump-Connecticut Republican Party playbook may try to obfuscate their motives with claims of ‘unfairness,’ but censorship by any other name still runs counter to our values as a state and a nation,” he said. “While they resort to blocking reporters and attacking free speech and freedom of the press, Connecticut Democrats will fight for our First Amendment freedoms. Connecticut deserves better than J.R. Romano’s childish temper tantrums."

Vigdor will cover the Democratic State Convention on Saturday, also in the Connecticut Convention Center.

kdixon@ctpost.com;