Crystal Sousa: Denham piles on the press during his telephone town hall

I listened to Rep. Jeff Denham’s telephone “town hall” last Wednesday, and I was struck by his lack of accountability for elected officials – himself included. A constituent asked what he would do to dissuade the president from attacking journalists’ First Amendment rights. Denham suggested that Trump, like himself, has a right to defend themselves from “fake news.” He went on to accuse our hometown paper of spreading fake information about him and his record.

We are living in a time when information is easier to get than ever before. It is a fact that there are people/organizations spreading false information in order to confuse voters. But most reporters work with the right intentions and the hateful rhetoric being thrown their way is dangerous, not only to their lives but to the very fabric of our republic.

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Crystal Sousa: Denham piles on the press during his telephone town hall."