Photo courtesy of Bank Phrom on Unsplash.com
On Friday, August 11, 2023, the local police department, aided by county sheriff’s deputies, raided the office of the Marion County Record in rural Kansas, seizing computer equipment and the personal cellphones of staff members, in addition to doing the same at the home of the owners of the newspaper.
UPDATE: The search warrant that led to the raids has been withdrawn, and the newspaper and staff property that was seized has been returned. The National Press Club was among the first to note this move but also say that the story should not end with those actions, saying a probe into how it happened in the first place should proceed.
The Washington Post, on Saturday, August 19, reported on information in the sworn affidavits presented to a judge for the purpose of obtaining the search warrant.
The Marion County Record, which said it saw a bump in online subscriptions in the wake of the publicity that followed Friday’s raid, was able to publish Wednesday, August 16, to continue on its weekly schedule, but not without pulling an all-nighter due to the disruptions.
You can read more about the situation as it developed on these links:
(You may need to subscribe to the online version of the newspaper in question to be able to read their coverage. It’s $34.99 for the year.) Marion County RECORD | Newspaper from Marion KS | Aug. 9, 2023 (marionrecord.com)
Police raid local Kansas newspaper office and homes of reporters | Kansas | The Guardian
This story gives added details through the author’s interview with Eric Meyer, the owner and publisher of the paper: A conversation with the newspaper owner raided by cops (substack.com)
This story provides some information about events that led to the Friday, August 11, 2023, raid: Restaurateur accuses paper, councilwoman | Peabody Gazette-Bulletin | Aug. 10, 2023 () (peabodykansas.com)
Police in Kansas raid Marion newspaper office, seize computers, phones (usatoday.com)
The Associated Press talked to Eric Meyer on Sunday, August 13.
The story has been evolving, and Saturday evening August 12, the 98-year-old co-owner of the paper and mother of the co-owner and publisher died, with the raid having upset her tremendously, according to the son, and apparently contributing to her death. She had a long history with the Marion County Record, and was still authoring a weekly column at the time of her death.
Raid on Kansas newspaper is intolerable police overreach | The Kansas City Star
August 12, 2023 – by Heather Cox Richardson (substack.com)
National SPJ is among a bevy of journalism and press freedom groups who have issued public statements. This is from Claire Regan, national SPJ president, posted on the SPJ Facebook page:
“The Society of Professional Journalists is deeply concerned about the raid on Friday of the Marion County Record newsroom,” said SPJ National President Claire Regan. “This brazen law-enforcement action has abruptly stopped the flow of information by making it impossible for journalists at the newspaper to carry out their duties. The newsroom is sacrosanct; interrupting its operation is a threat to democracy. SPJ offers its support to the staff of the Marion County Record following this outrageous attack on freedom of the press.”
UPDATE: National SPJ has signed on to a letter led by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to the police chief in Marion, Kansas. Here is the letter.
The letter concludes: “In short, the search warrant directed at the Marion County Record was significantly overbroad, improperly intrusive, and possibly in violation of federal law. Again, and crucially, we urge you to immediately return any seized equipment and records to the newspaper; purge any such records retained by your department; and initiate a full, independent, and transparent review into your department’s actions.“
The national SPJ board is making arrangements for financial aid for the Marion County Record and staff through SPJ’s Legal Defense Fund. In an emergency meeting of the national SPJ board Sunday night, August 13, 2023, the board voted to designate $20,000 from LDF for the newspaper and staff. Watch for updates.
The Kansas Chapter of SPJ also issued a strong statement. It includes the following: “Attempting to criminalize news gathering is beneath contempt and worthy of condemnation. The shame of law enforcement and the courts of Marion County stain all Kansans and must never be repeated.”
The National Press Club also issued a statement, which came out before news of the death of co-owner Joan Meyer: Press Club leaders condemn raid on Kansas newspaper by local law enforcement | National Press Club
RTDNA President and CEO Dan Shelley weighed in on X.
PEN America, defending writers’ rights, had this to say about the legality of the move by the local Marion, Kansas, law enforcement bodies.
Freedom of the Press Foundation said this.
Compiled and laid out by Amy Fickling, DC Pro Chapter corresponding secretary