Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Indy Politics publisher Abdul-Hakim Shabazz.
Shabazz filed suit last month, alleging Rokita had violated the 1st Amendment by not allowing Shabazz into an October news conference on robocalls. Rokita’s staff has said Shabazz was “not a real journalist”, despite Shabazz having the proper media credential to attend.
In his motion to dismiss Rokita argues there was no violation of the 1st Amendment because the news conference was made available online and public officials are under no obligation to answer questions from the media.
“My accessibility to the media, as well as my record of transparency, are well-known to anyone who has followed my career,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Journalists have never complained – because they have no reason to complain – about not having access to or information from my office. If anything, their complaint has been that my office provides too much information.”
You can read Rokita’s motion to dismiss and memo here.
