Tommy Burr

Tommy Burr
Tommy Burr, who became the NPC's 109th president at the beginning of the year, issued this statement Oct. 16:

For months The National Press Club has repeatedly expressed concern for U.S. Republican presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump's treatment of our colleagues reporting on the campaign.

After lifting an ill-advised access ban on colleagues who wished to cover Mr. Trump during the primaries, as the Republican nominee he's backsliding into ugly territory.

Following a series of stories from a range of news organizations detailing sexual allegations against him, he's attacked our colleagues either through legal or rhetorical intimidation. The anti-press campaign that he's taken up from the stump has reached such a fever pitch, reporters have had to be escorted by police from Mr. Trump's rallies to ensure their safety.

We find this renewed pattern of journalist intimidation to be unacceptable and dangerous to our democracy.

As someone who aspires to be the chief conservator of America's enabling documents, which enshrine freedom of the press, we believe Mr. Trump should embrace the role of independent journalists in a democratic society.

Burr is the Washington correspondent for The Salt Lake Tribune. A Utah native and Washingtonian since 2005, Burr is a former chairman of the Congressional Standing Committee of Correspondents and past president of the Regional Reporters Association.