The Mirror

Bloomberg reporter looking to squash advocacy journalism on Capitol Hill

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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Bloomberg’s Kate Hunter is among several reporters vying for a two-year term on the Daily Press Galleries’ Standing Committee of Correspondents. Her platform is pointed: abolish advocacy journalists from obtaining press passes. In a pitch letter asking for votes, she says she wants to preserve the “integrity” of the congressional press pass.

But who is she talking about? Could the following publications get the ax? Talking Points Memo, HuffPost, The Blade, BuzzFeed, The Daily CallerBreitbart News, National Review, ideological NYT or WaPo writers, The Weekly Standard and more.

The Mirror reached out to Hunter with questions. But so far she hasn’t return questions wanting more specifics on her political platform. By the way, is she aware that the man who owns her publication is a huge liberal?

See her letter below.

Fellow Journalists,

I am writing to ask you to support my candidacy for a two-year term on the Daily Press Galleries’ Standing Committee of Correspondents. The election will be held January 16, 2014 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the House Daily Press Gallery, H-319.

In my eight years covering Capitol Hill on a daily basis, I’ve seen first-hand the important role the Standing Committee plays representing the needs of the news media for workspace and access as it covers Congress.

If elected, I would focus on promoting journalists’ access on Capitol Hill and on preserving the integrity of the congressional press passes. The committee, which determines which news outlets qualify for daily press credentials, plays an important role in screening out organizations that mix advocacy with reporting.

At a time of dramatic change for our industry, it’s more important than ever to have journalists with knowledge of Capitol Hill’s inner workings engaged in looking out for daily print reporters in the halls to Congress.

I would be honored and appreciative to have your vote on Thursday.

Sincerely,

Kate Hunter

Bloomberg News