Montgomery County’s Hypocrisy on Press Freedom

Montgomery County deserves better than hypocrisy and petty passive-aggression that drags us into unconstitutional waters.

Recently, the Montgomery County Council denied press access to The Montgonion, a local outlet that blends satire with investigative reporting. The Council’s justification? That The Montgonion’s inclusion of satire supposedly disqualifies it from being “real journalism.”

That reasoning isn’t just weak—it’s dangerous.

A Flimsy Legal Pretext

The Council cites adherence to the Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) Code of Ethics. But here’s the problem: the very first line of that Code explicitly says it “is not, nor can it be under the First Amendment, legally enforceable.” The County is trying to elevate voluntary, outdated guidelines into a quasi-government standard that silences certain voices.

These SPJ and American Press Association guidelines were last updated in 2001 and 2014—before podcasts, influencers, AI-generated media, and the explosion of independent journalism online. Today, 54% of Americans get their news primarily from social media (Pew Research, 2024), with the majority of young adults consuming information from nontraditional outlets. Montgomery County’s reliance on relic guidelines is not just absurd—it excludes the very platforms where people actually get their news.

First Amendment Protections Are Clear

The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently ruled that government cannot discriminate against members of the press based on viewpoint, style, or content. In Snyder v. Phelps (562 U.S. 443, 2011), Justice Stephen Breyer wrote:

“The First Amendment protects even highly offensive and hurtful communications on matters of public concern.”

That principle covers satire, parody, cartoons, blogs, podcasts, and yes, even The Montgonion. From The Onion to Saturday Night Live, satire has always been part of America’s journalistic and political tradition. To suggest that Montgomery County officials get to decide who is a “real journalist” is not only unconstitutional—it reeks of elitism.

No Fairness, No Appeal

Even worse, Montgomery County has no formal appeal system for challenging such denials. One lawyer’s opinion can silence an entire outlet. No checks, no balances, no accountability. Denied press access, the only avenue left is external review, raising serious First Amendment concerns.

This isn’t just about one outlet. It’s about whether the government gets to pick winners and losers in the press.

Not Left vs. Right—Just Right vs. Wrong

This is not an R vs. D issue. It’s not even about ideology. It’s about Justice. Already, Montgomery County Republican leaders, non-incumbent candidates, and even concerned Democrats have voiced support for The Montgonion. Because they know: silence is acquiescence.

When government officials deny press access based on subjective taste, it’s censorship—plain and simple.

A County Council Afraid of Accountability

Let’s be honest. The Council isn’t worried about journalistic “guidelines.” They’re worried about accountability. Satire has a way of exposing the absurdity of politics, cutting through the spin in ways “serious” journalism often fails to do.

That’s why they’re afraid of The Montgonion. Not because it’s unserious, but because it’s too effective.

Montgomery County Must Do Better

We demand better. Montgomery County must:

• Reinstate press access for The Montgonion.
• Stop weaponizing voluntary guidelines to silence inconvenient voices.
• Acknowledge that satire is journalism—and protected speech under the First Amendment.

Freedom of the press isn’t reserved for the elite. It belongs to everyone—from the Washington Post to The Onion to The Montgonion.

And we will not back down.