A reporter claimed Sunday that a staffer for Pete Buttigieg ripped off the press credentials from his cameraman after his team interviewed supporters.
Jordan Chariton, the Journalist/CEO of StatusCoup, shared his complaint on Twitter demanding an apology from the campaign after they harassed his cameraman.
“After interviewing Pete Buttigieg supporters outside without issue, one of his staffers came up to my cameraman (an African American male) and ripped off his press credential saying ‘I don’t think you’re supposed to have credentials,'” he wrote.
The outlet brands itself as a progressive populist media company.
“I don’t know how to even describe today,” he said in a video describing the incident as “bizarre, concerning, very Trump-like.”
Chariton said that he was credentialed by the campaign for their events in New Hampshire. He said that he and his cameraman left the event after he was “harassed” by Buttigieg staffers for interviewing supporters of his campaign.
“Pete Buttigieg owes my cameraman Jamal Jones an apology—his staffer put his hands on him and removed his press badge without saying a word to him,” he wrote. “IMPORTANT: we had media credentials for the event and checked in at press desk.”
Chariton went live on Periscope and Twitch to talk about the incident in a two-hour interview with followers of his campaign.
“I think what we just experienced is a real troubling sign … what we just experienced as journalists is un-American,” he said. “If this is how Pete Buttigieg’s campaign operates with journalists, as president, that’s a scary thought.”
Buttigieg has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump’s behavior with reporters, calling it a threat to democracy.
At a December debate, Buttigieg said the following:
When the American president refers to unfavorable press coverage as the product of the “enemy of the people,” democracy around the world gets weaker. Freedom of the press not just here at home but around the world gets weaker. It’s one more reminder of what is at stake, not just here at home, but for world history in the imperative that we win this election.
The Buttigieg campaign did not respond to a Breitbart News request for comment about the incident.
Chariton admitted in the live video that he was a supporter of Bernie Sanders, describing Buttigieg as a “neo-liberal threat.”
“I’m not a robot journalist, I’m not a neutral party, I don’t support Pete Buttigieg, I personally support Bernie Sanders,” Chariton said.
BREAKING: Pete Buttigieg’s Campaign Harasses Status Coup’s Cameraman Jamal Jones https://t.co/ttF4GbPzE3
— Status Coup (@StatusCoup) February 9, 2020
Pete Buttigieg owes my cameraman Jamal Jones an apology—his staffer put his hands on him and removed his press badge without saying a word to him. IMPORTANT: we had media credentials for the event and checked in at press desk.
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) February 9, 2020
We just left event on our own volition after being harrassed outside & inside. When you watch interviews we did with @PeteButtigieg supporters, they were pleasant and respectful. Toughest question I asked was what’s Pete’s top accomplishment in South Bend that draws you to him?
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) February 9, 2020
#BREAKING: After interviewing @PeteButtigieg supporters outside without issue, 1 of his staffers came up to my cameraman (an African American male) and ripped off his press credential saying “I don’t think you’re supposed to have credentials.” https://t.co/MACBpg0Vav
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) February 9, 2020
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