Arizona Capitol Times responds to injunction against reporter

Arizona Capitol Reports Staff//April 24, 2023

We are strongly opposed to the Injunction Against Harassment that State Senator Wendy Rogers obtained against our reporter Camryn Sanchez. Senator Rogers obtained the injunction, ex parte (that is, without informing Ms. Sanchez and without the chance or opportunity for Ms. Sanchez to oppose the petition).

We intend to challenge this injunction on behalf of Ms. Sanchez because it is baseless and an unconstitutional prior restraint against a reporter investigating public allegations involving the Senator.

News reporters such as Ms. Sanchez have the right to investigate matters relating to elected officials, which is precisely what Ms. Sanchez has been doing.

Senator Rogers went far beyond trying to restrict Ms. Sanchez from approaching her multiple residences (which is also well within Ms. Sanchez’s rights)—Senator Rogers also requested that Ms. Sanchez “not be permitted access to the Arizona Senate.” This shows that the petition and injunction were not about the Senator’s personal safety but were about silencing the press in direct contravention of the First Amendment.

The Arizona Capitol Times and its parent company BridgeTower Media firmly stand behind Ms. Sanchez and her work covering the state Senate and intend to pursue all rights under state and federal law to protect Ms. Sanchez and allow her to perform her duties as a reporter.

— Michael Gorman, Publisher Arizona Capitol Times