Congressman Cohen Stands with Defenders of a Free Press

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) noted that hundreds of newspapers, led by The Boston Globe, used their editorial pages Thursday to defend journalists and the constitutional protection of a free press, and made the following statement:

"After The Boston Globe suggested that newspapers all across the country write editorials defending a free press on Thursday, I was pleased to see The Memphis Flyer and Commercial Appeal columnist David Waters taking that principled stand. Journalists, generally, and their readers, too, are genuinely fearful of what the President has unleashed with his accusations that reporters are ‘enemies of the people' and that accurate, factual reporting that he doesn't like is ‘fake news.' Serious journalists work hard to write accurate stories with adequate context and, when they fall short, correct errors immediately. Unlike many of the President's favorite media outlets, the mainstream media does not fabricate false ‘news' intended to mislead. I commend all the news outlets that took a stand for democracy and a free press today. I'm pleased that the nation's newspapers are making it clear that the only way a true democracy can function is with citizens having access to accurate news and commentary."

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