Steve King bars Des Moines Register from covering election night event

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) barred the Des Moines Register from covering his election night event in Sioux City on Tuesday, according to the Iowa newspaper.

King called the 169-year-old newspaper a “leftist propaganda media outlet” in an email rejecting the outlet’s request for credentials.

{mosads}”We are not granting credentials to the Des Moines Register or any other leftist propaganda media outlet with no concern for reporting the truth,” wrote Jeff King, who is Steve King’s son and a paid campaign staffer.

The Register responded by calling the decision an “unfortunate” one that shuts out the paper and “the people of Iowa.”

“The Des Moines Register will continue doing everything in its power to cover Rep. King fairly,” Register executive editor Carol Hunter said. “This decision is unfortunate because it not only shuts out the Des Moines Register reporter, but also the people of Iowa.”

King, a staunch supporter of President Trump, is running for his ninth term. He won his last race in 2016 by 23 points over Democratic challenger Kim Weaver but is in a relatively close race with Democratic newcomer J.D. Scholten. King only leads by Scholten by 7 points in the RealClearPolitics average in Iowa’s 4th District.

King’s move echoes one made by Trump early on in his candidacy in June 2015 after the real estate mogul barred the Register from gaining access to a campaign event in Oskaloosa, Iowa. At the time, the paper’s editorial board had published an opinion piece calling on Trump to quit the Republican race.