A CNN ‘Town Hall’ event with 2020 Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is causing controversy.
After it was initially reported that the event, which will be held on the Jackson State campus next Monday, was going to be open to the public, that is not the case.
If you are interested in attending, you’ll have to obtain a form being sent out by the state’s Democratic Party. Once you fill it out, you’ll then have to wait and see if you’re able to attend. Members of the media are not allowed inside of the event and are instead being asked to set up in a “press filing center” nearby.
Chairman of the state’s Democratic Party Bobby Moak did not respond when News Mississippi reached out for a comment, but Governor Bryant has voiced his displeasure with the situation on Twitter.
“So @SenWarren will shut out the Mississippi media and the average Mississippian to her so-called town hall event. That’s the typical Liberal way of stopping free speech on a college campus,” Governor Bryant tweeted.
Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party Lucien Smith and State Auditor Shad White joined the Governor in criticizing the decision to close off the event.
“There is only one party that represents the views of most Mississippians: the Republican Party. Given the Democratic Party’s wild lurch to the left, it’s no surprise they want to hide themselves from local media so they and their candidates can continue pretending to be moderates.” – Lucien Smith
“Elizabeth Warren has always had an interesting relationship with transparency. When she was accused of using her so-called Native American heritage to get a job at high powered law schools, it took her years to turn over her employment records. Now she’s coming to Mississippi but won’t let local media into her event. I have no idea why she doesn’t want them there. Maybe she’s worried people will figure out her policy proposals would unwind all the economic gains that we’ve seen under President Trump.” – Shad White
Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) did not comment on the details surrounding the event but praised Warren’s decision to visit Mississippi.
“Glad to see Democratic Presidential candidates coming to Mississippi. Senator Warren is a fine person who needs to share her vision for America with fellow Mississippians,” Thompson said.
Warren has represented Massachusetts as a Senator since 2013, and so far, she is one of over a dozen Democratic candidates in the 2020 field. The Town Hall event will be moderated by Jake Tapper, and it will be televised on CNN at 8 p.m.
In addition to Moak, News Mississippi has also reached out to the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi House Democratic Caucus, but neither has responded.
