And so it begins: Political reporter barred from Hillary Clinton campaign event

In an age where official transparency is prized by both the press and the public, The Daily Mail reports that David Martosko, the U.S. political for the British news organization, was denied access to a campaign event for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire on Monday morning - despite the fact he had been designated as the “pool reporter” for the day.

In the story, The Mail said that Clinton staffers first claimed the reporter was barred because Mr. Martosko was from the foreign press. Then they claimed that advisers needed to have “have a conversation” about the protocols involved. Mr. Martosko was simply turned away from the breakfast event in question, even to use the restroom; he was advised to “hit the woods.” There was no clear resolution of his circumstances, or the “conversation” within the Clinton campaign.

But the press noticed. Mr. Martosko, former executive editor of The Daily Caller, was himself the subject of multiple stories and commentary in the aftermath.

“Clinton campaign stiff arms reporter in coverage pool,” noted The Washington Post. “Clinton boots critical reporter,” declared the Washington Examiner.

“Lapdogs only,” reported Twitchy.com

A previous tweet from Mr. Martosko may explain the acrimony here. “It’s truly astonishing how many journalists at the @Hillaryclinton speech today reported exactly, and only, what the campaign wanted them to,” the reporter noted following Mrs. Clinton’s first major campaign appearance on Saturday.

“I intend to report here whether they want me to or not,” Mr. Martosko tweeted following his experience with the Clinton campaign, later adding, “With everything that’s happened this morning about press access , now I’m late for the only open press event of the day. Ironic.”