Maryland Rep. Andy Harris Walks Out of Debate After Misquoting Recording Laws
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) walked out of a post-debate news conference on Tuesday after falsely claiming it was illegal for a journalist to record him. The incident occurred during a heated exchange with Capital News Service reporter Cat Murphy, who was asking questions about the Iran war. Harris invoked Maryland’s two-party consent law, which does not apply to public forums, and threatened to refer Murphy to a prosecutor. Other reporters defended Murphy, noting that recording is legal in public spaces. Harris left the room, blaming Murphy for ruining his chances to answer questions. The incident highlights tensions between the congressman and the press ahead of the midterm elections, where he is trailing his Democratic opponent, Dan Schwartz, by 13 points.