Upon learning that State Sen. Scott Wiener’s congressional campaign refused to let a Mission Local reporter and the Gazetteer into its election night party, SPJ NorCal released this statement to press:

“Senator Wiener is embarrassing himself and as someone aspiring to higher office he knows it’s his duty to uphold the first amendment, the foundation of the very nation he wishes to represent in Congress,” said Thomas Peele, chair of the society’s freedom of information committee. “He doesn’t have to like the press, and he doesn’t have to like the coverage he receives, but he damn well better be even-handed about who he lets into his parties. If he is elected to Congress, is he going to ban Mission Local from covering him?”

In a follow-up call to campaign representatives, Mission Local reported that it was told it served “as Connie Chan’s mouthpiece,” referring to his opponent.

Following publication of articles by Mission Local and the San Francisco Standard, Mission Local’s reporter was let into the event. A 48Hills reporter was also turned away from covering the event.

“The decision to bar our reporter was unbecoming of a political official. To do this on the eve of an election portended poorly for Wiener’s commitment to press freedom,” said Joe Rivano Barros, Mission Local‘s executive editor.