Editorial: Barring The Montgonion, County Assaults Press Freedom

Montgomery County’s decision to bar The Montgonion from the Council President’s press availabilities is not just a bureaucratic misstep, it’s a deliberate assault on the principles of a free press. The County’s flimsy rationale, articulated by its Legislative Information Officer, hinges on the claim that our publication’s blend of satire and activism disqualifies us as “members of the news media.” This reasoning is as legally dubious as it is intellectually lazy, and it reeks of bias against our pointed criticism of the County’s policies and decisions. By sidelining us, the County is trying to silence a voice that uses satire to expose the folly of its governance, an act that sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom in our community.

Let’s be clear: The Montgonion is not just a satirical outlet. We have evolved to include hard-hitting investigative reporting, community advocacy, and in-depth analysis—content that has demonstrably influenced county action. Our investigations have prompted at least 10 uniform civil citations this year from agencies like DHCA, DEP, and DPS, alongside dozens of parking tickets and towed vehicles by MCPD. Our reporting on issues like the blight in Glenmont, on Carroll Avenue, and Southlawn Lane spurred multi-agency state and county responses and resolutions. These are not the hallmarks of a frivolous publication but of a news outlet delivering measurable public impact.

The County’s attempt to gatekeep who qualifies as a journalist is both arbitrary and unconstitutional. The First Amendment, alongside Article 40 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights, protects all press—whether it’s a legacy daily, a hyperlocal blog, or a publication like ours that dares to blend humor with accountability. The Supreme Court has long held that the government cannot discriminate based on content or viewpoint. By dismissing The Montgonion for its satirical elements, often aimed at exposing the absurdities of County policies, the County is engaging in precisely the kind of content-based discrimination the Constitution forbids.

Moreover, the Council President’s press briefings are a designated public forum for the press. Once the County opens such a space, it cannot cherry-pick participants based on subjective distaste for a publication’s style, reputation, or critical stance. The County’s assertion that we don’t meet its “news media” standard fails the legal requirement for explicit, narrow, and reviewable reasons for exclusion. It’s free press suppression dressed up as policy, fueled by discomfort with our willingness to call out governmental missteps through satire and scrutiny.

This isn’t just about The Montgonion. It’s about the County’s willingness to decide who gets to ask questions, who gets to hold power to account, and who gets to inform the public. If a publication with a 25-year veteran publisher, a track record of impactful reporting, and transparent content labeling can be excluded for daring to mock the County’s shortcomings, what’s to stop the County from silencing other voices it finds inconvenient? The answer is nothing unless we demand better.

Montgomery County must reverse this decision. It must provide clear, content-neutral criteria for press access and affirm that satire, activism, or criticism of its policies does not disqualify a publication from equal treatment. Anything less undermines the democratic principle that a free press, however irreverent or unconventional, serves the public, not the government.

We will continue to fight for our place at the table, not just for The Montgonion but for every outlet that dares to challenge the status quo. If the County persists in this overreach, we will explore every avenue to defend our rights, and the rights of our readers to a press that isn’t muzzled by bureaucratic whim.

Montgomery County, do better. The First Amendment demands it, and so do we.

Glenn Fellman is the creator and publisher of The Montgonion