National Press Club Statement on Judge Ordering Mississippi Newspaper to Remove Editorial

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement after a judge ordered a Mississippi newspaper, The Clarksdale Press Register, to delete an editorial that criticized government officials.

“A judge ordering a newspaper to erase an editorial isn’t just wrong — it’s unconstitutional. Prior restraint is one of the most egregious violations of press freedom, and the courts have made clear: the government cannot silence a newspaper just because it doesn’t like what was printed.

This is bigger than one newspaper or one ruling. If a judge can make journalism disappear with the stroke of a pen, what’s next? A free press is not a privilege; it’s a right.

When a judge, sworn to uphold the Constitution, ignores its most fundamental protections, it sends a chilling message: those in power can control the narrative instead of being held accountable by it. That’s not democracy. That’s censorship.

The National Press Club stands with the Clarksdale Press Register and every journalist fighting for the public’s right to know."

About the National Press Club

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 2,500 members representing nearly every major journalism organization. The Club and its Center for Press Freedom are leading voices for press freedom matters in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club