Press freedom groups that blasted Trump turn fire on Dem governor over alleged media retaliation
Maine News Now
Oct. 15, 2026
Coalition of Press‑Freedom Groups Accuses Maryland Governor of Retaliating Against Journalists
A coalition of leading press‑freedom and civil‑rights organizations has written a formal letter to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, alleging that he has retaliated against reporters by subjecting their routine inquiries to additional legal review. The complaint comes amid a defamation lawsuit filed by Sinclair Broadcast Group chairman David Smith, who also owns the Baltimore Sun.
The Letter
On Oct. 13, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, along with the Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, and the Society of Professional Journalists, sent a letter to Governor Moore. The groups claim that state agencies have begun to refer requests from reporters at Sinclair‑affiliated outlets and the Baltimore Sun to legal counsel before replying. The letter argues that such practice amounts to a “black hole” for news coverage and amounts to retaliation for the lawsuit Smith has brought against Moore.
“We urge you to instruct all Maryland agencies that Smith’s lawsuit against you is a personal matter and not an excuse to send media requests into a legal review black hole,” the letter states. It further calls Moore’s public criticism of former President Donald Trump “particularly offensive” when contrasted with his own “similar antics.”
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said: “It’s particularly offensive that Moore seeks to boost his national profile by slamming the Trump administration’s unconstitutional attempts to ban disfavored media outlets from the White House when he’s engaged in such similar antics himself.”
The letter also notes that Moore has publicly condemned Trump’s decision to bar reporters from outlets such as CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, calling Trump’s actions “unconstitutional” and accusing him of treating the Constitution as a suggestion box.
The Defamation Lawsuit
The dispute dates back to a July lawsuit filed by David Smith against Governor Moore. Smith alleges that Moore made false statements about him during a television interview, including implying that Smith had ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Smith’s suit is a personal defamation case, not a corporate claim by the Baltimore Sun or Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Moore has repeatedly accused the Baltimore Sun of pushing a political agenda aligned with Trump. In response to Smith’s lawsuit, state agencies have said they are exercising basic due‑diligence by reviewing inquiries before responding. The letter argues that this legal review is being used as a tool of retaliation.
“Having our legal team look over inquiries is basic due diligence, not a blackout,” said Ammar Moussa, Moore’s senior press secretary and director of media strategy, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Governor Moore’s Response
Moore’s office denied the accusations in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. The spokesperson, Moussa, called the letter’s “central premise… completely false,” and asserted that state agencies have been answering dozens of questions from Sinclair outlets in the past week.
“We are happy to let them share those responses,” Moussa added. “A litigant doesn’t get to dictate how the state protects itself, but that hasn’t stopped our agencies from doing their jobs for the people of Maryland.”
Moore maintains that the legal review process is standard practice and not a deliberate attempt to silence the press. He also points to his own criticism of Trump’s restrictions on the press, arguing that his actions are aimed at protecting journalists rather than punishing them.
Context: Trump’s Press Restrictions
The letter’s authors highlight Governor Moore’s public denouncement of Trump’s White House press restrictions, which excluded reporters from outlets such as CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. The coalition argues that Moore’s condemnation of Trump’s “unconstitutional” ban contrasts sharply with his own purported retaliation against media outlets that have sued him.
In a Sept. 20 interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Moore criticized Trump’s decision to bar certain media from the White House, describing the president as treating the Constitution “like a suggestion box simply because he does not like the coverage.”
What’s Next
The letter has been forwarded to Maryland’s Secretary of State and the Office of the Attorney General. No public statement has yet been issued by those offices. Legal analysts note that the lawsuit and the press‑freedom complaint could lead to a court ruling on whether state agencies can require legal review of routine journalistic inquiries when a lawsuit is pending against the governor.
For now, journalists at Sinclair‑affiliated outlets and the Baltimore Sun report that they continue to receive responses, albeit after a brief legal vetting process. Whether the state will maintain this practice or roll it back remains to be seen.
Maine News Now will continue to follow the developments in Maryland’s press‑freedom dispute and provide updates as the case unfolds.