Page 31 - AT

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 16 January 2020
Reporters claim new rules will hinder impeachment coverage

by ASHRAF KHALIL mobbed in the hallways
Associated Press was "a legitimate concern"
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- and that legislators need to
dent Donald Trump's im- be able to handle their his-
peachment trial in the Sen- toric duties "without having
ate promises to be one of to fight their way onto an
the most heavily scrutinized elevator." But the plan has
events in American politi- also drawn criticism from
cal history. But the journal- senators from both parties.
ists covering the trial are "I'm a staunch believer in
warning that restrictions on the first amendment and
media access will cripple I think this is wrong," said
their ability to do their job. Democratic Sen. Amy
"The proposed restrictions Klobuchar of Minnesota,
exceed those put in place a member of the Senate
during the State of the Rules committee, in an in-
Union, Inauguration Day terview with CBS News after
or even during the Clinton participating in Tuesday's
impeachment trial 20 years presidential debate. "I
ago," Sarah Wire, a Los An- don't know why, at this very
geles Times reporter who important moment where
heads the Standing Com- you would want to allow
mittee of Correspondents, the people to see it, they're
wrote Senate Majority The entrance to the Senate cloakroom at the Capitol is seen in Washington, early Wednesday, deciding to pull back ac-
Leader Mitch McConnell, Jan. 15, 2020, as the House is set to vote to send the articles of impeachment against President cess. I have my own theo-
R-Ky., and Senate Minority Donald Trump to the Senate for a landmark trial on whether the charges of abuse of power and ries, of course, and they're
obstruction of Congress are grounds for his removal.
leader Chuck Schumer, D- Associated Press not good ones."
N.Y. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.,
A preliminary security plan tion," Wire said in an inter- them from bringing in elec- restrictions would actually called the restrictions "a
would greatly limit the view with The Associated tronics. enhance security. Wire said huge mistake" and said
movement of credentialed Press. Between the magnetome- the meeting ended incon- they seemed designed to
media members. Journal- Members of the press corps ter and the constant need clusively and that the jour- shield senators from having
ists would be restricted to a are also asking for a waiver for journalists to leave and nalists' requests have been to deal with crowds of jour-
designated area and could of the traditional ban on reenter the chamber in or- largely ignored. nalists in the hallways.
only speak to senators who laptops and cellphones, der to file stories, Wire wrote "Right now we're just get- "There is an effort to limit the
approached them. Under which would enable them on Twitter that "the Senate ting silence," she said. press," Kennedy told The
normal conditions, creden- to file breaking news up- trial will have a soundtrack Sen. Roy Blunt, the chair- Associated Press. "Sena-
tialed journalists can infor- dates from gallery seats of "beep, beep, beep" as man of the Senate Rules tors are grown women and
mally approach lawmakers inside the Senate cham- 90+ reporters walk in and Committee, said the grown men. If they don't
in the hallways or on the ber, but that request has out all day." changes are necessary to want to make a comment
way to the elevator or the apparently been rejected. Members of the press corps keep the emotional and they know how to say, 'No
Senate subway. The security plan would met last week with repre- intense impeachment pro- comment.'"
"That's the bread and but- also place a magnetom- sentatives from the office ceedings running smoothly. Efforts to contact the Capi-
ter of what we do here. eter at the door of the gal- of the Senate Sergeant Blunt, R-Mo., told report- tol Police and the Senate
That's where you get that lery seats to scan journalists at Arms, seeking clarifica- ers on Tuesday that keep- Sergeant at Arms for com-
extra nugget of informa- as they enter and prevent tion on how the proposed ing senators from being ment were unsuccessful.q

Review: Marcus King stirs soul,

rock, country on ‘El Dorado’

By PABLO GORONDI cutting guitars and rum- since. This project follows,
Associated Press bling bass. in a similar vein, some of his
Marcus King's solo debut You could say King has recent efforts on outstand-
is an enticing mix of deep been "Auerbached," with ing albums by Yola, The
soul, rock and country in the producer's distinct ap- Pretenders, Robert Finley
the best Southern tradi- proach — shaped by re- and Kendell Marvel.
tions. cording in his own Easy Eye King is known for his volca-
King, though just 23 years Sound Studio in Nashville nic vocals and his amazing
old, has been a profes- and relying on the timeless six-string dexterity. But "El
sional musician for over a talent of legends like drum- Dorado" finds King, a South
decade and already has mer Gene Chrisman, bass- Carolina native now based
three albums with the Mar- ist David Roe and Bobby in Nashville, mostly dialing
cus King Band. Wood's Wurlitzer — putting down the overall volume
Produced and co-written a definitely noticeable but without sacrificing inten-
by Dan Auerbach of The elegantly unintrusive frame sity or feeling. By putting his
Black Keys, "El Dorado" is a around King's own skills. songwriting and more nu-
smoothly-paced release, Auerbach won a Grammy anced singing at the fore,
with acoustic-based and way back in 2013 for his King expands his guitar This cover image released by Fantasy Records shows “El Dorado”
mid-tempo soul tunes amid production work, and his hero profile with excellent by Marcus King.
a few fuzzy rockers with quality control hasn't let up results.q Associated Press