CHICAGO — As hundreds of journalists — and a couple of Donald Trump supporters — crowded the lobby of the Hilton Chicago Wednesday before the former president was scheduled to speak to the National Association of Black Journalists, press credentials began floating their way through the crowd.
It was a different scene than portrayed in an email from the NABJ that was sent to credentialed journalists the night before. Media representatives were told that press set-up would start at 6:45 a.m., and journalists would be security screened and seated in the ballroom by 9:30 a.m.
"Be prepared to go through metal detectors and security checks," said the email from the NABJ communications team. "Requests for press badges will not be accepted on-site."
Journalists got approval for credentials just after 9 p.m. Tuesday and received further instructions about the credentialing process around midnight, which caused many to "work on the fly," said Michael Liptrot, a reporter with Chicago community newspaper, South Side Weekly.
For journalists who arrived in the early morning, press badges were not immediately printed. Media members who did set up early needed to leave the ballroom where Trump would speak for the Secret Service to do a 7:45 a.m. security sweep.
Journalists were told to return to the ballroom at 9 a.m., but it wasn't until around 10:30 a.m. that they started to be allowed to enter screening from the hotel lobby as a crowd built up.
For journalists who didn't pick up their credentials during the early morning, NABJ organizers began shouting names and handing out press credential badges through the mob of reporters. Press tags were still being handed out to journalists with credentials from their news organizations as the crowd inched its way toward the ballroom where Trump is expected to speak about the "most pressing issues facing the Black community," according to an email from the Trump campaign.
"Overall the credentialing process was rushed as much of this event has been," Liptrot, a member of the NABJ, told Raw Story. "A lot was on the fly. I think NABJ is doing their best, and that's the point I want to emphasize, that they're doing their best in the midst of a turbulent election cycle and a former president being booked at what appears to be last minute."
Attendees eventually went through metal detectors run by Transportation Security Administration agents and were checked by Secret Service agents.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Raw Story's questions about potential security concerns involving the media credentialing process.
The National Association of Black Journalists communications team did not immediately respond to questions from Raw Story.
