EDITOR:
What is the real purpose of a news conference?
As a former news reporter I always believed the real purpose of a news conference was to get the word out to the public…to share the “news” with as many people as possible.
Apparently that’s not how it works in Tom Hutsler’s Republican mind (Mr . Hutsler ran for state representative for District 12, losing to Jamie Johnson in 2022).
Last week in downtown Parkville, a news conference was held to announce the candidacy of state representative Tony Luetkameyer to the office of Platte County Prosecuting Attorney.
Mr. Hutsler, the owner of the Olde Mill Emporium where the press conference was being held, promptly asked me to leave the premises once he realized I was running for presiding commissioner on the Democratic ticket.
I kindly pointed out to him there were two television cameras ready to record the event, making it a public news conference, but that didn’t matter to Mr. Hutsler, who told me to get off his property.
There was no explanation other than I needed to leave immediately. His request made absolutely no sense at all. He informed me the event was by invitation only…A public event that was invitation only??
Things in Platte County government need to change and I intend to change them when you elect me, Mary McKenna, presiding commissioner in November.
--Mary McKenna
Candidate for
Platte County
Presiding Commissioner
