Amidst a substantial outcry from journalists and media advocates across the United States, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has initiated a criminal investigation into the police raid of a Kansas newspaper office that reeked of First Amendment violations. The nationwide reproach stems from an incident last week when officials raided the premises of the Marion County Record, claiming it had illicitly acquired classified data.
Bernard Rhodes, the lawyer for the Record, revealed his confidence in the KBI’s intervention during a Tuesday interview with The Post. Rhodes voiced his protest to this intrusive search, citing the material’s protection under a state shield law, an argument he put forth to Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody in a letter. Exacerbating the situation, however, is the lack of clarity over whether the investigation targets the local officers involved or the Marion County Record’s editorial and reportorial personnel.
Notably, Gideon Cody is at the center of the criticism. Cody, ending a 24-year long career with the Kansas City Police Department, joined the small town’s police force merely months prior in April. Under his leadership, the raid reportedly involved four other Marion officers and two county sheriff’s deputies, and it is speculated that an unrelated matter instigated the entire operation.
Defending the profession of journalism, Rhodes asserted, “They’re attempting to criminalize being a reporter, and that’s not what this country is about.” He reaffirmed the core principles of the media landscape, echoing a sentiment that many in the media industry share. In response to the KBI’s director, Tony Mattivi, who earlier defended the raid, Rhodes said, “In this country, it’s not illegal to be a reporter. That statement does not concern me one bit, because no one broke the law.”
Marion Police’s search and seizure tactics raised various eyebrows. The Record’s editor, Eric Meyer, slammed their activities as akin to “Gestapo tactics.” This raid triggered a nationwide response, including condemnation from press freedom advocates and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to return the seized material. Journalists’ protections under both state and federal laws took center stage, as advocates cited the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on illegal searches and seizures by government authorities. The Society of Professional Journalists has even offered to shoulder the Record’s legal expenses.
This saga involves a complex web of narratives. The search warrant sought information following allegations that a Record’s reporter used an illegal online search to access sealed state records about a local restaurant owner’s 2008 arrest for drunk driving. According to Kari Newell, the restaurant owner, this was a deliberate attempt to sabotage her liquor license application.
Law enforcement officers also targeted the home of a local councilwoman in their Friday search, confiscating digital devices and files. In a shocking turn of events, Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old co-owner of the newspaper, died a day after her residence was raided, with the newspaper attributing her demise to the raid’s stress.
As this saga continues to unfold, the lens has now sharply focused on the KBI and the direction of its probe. Reportedly, they’ve assumed the reins as the “lead law enforcement agency” involved, but have stopped short of sharing their investigation’s specifics.
The incident has renewed attention and discussion on the importance of press freedom and the right to hold power accountable. As the probe progresses, all eyes are on Kansas and the consequential outcome.
