GOP Rep. Andy Harris warns journalist of criminal charges for filming him

Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris has found himself at the centre of a controversy after he appeared to get upset during a gaggle with reporters.

The heated confrontation, soon after it surfaced on social media, went viral on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

The Maryland congressman confronted a journalist over recording rights, sparking a debate about press freedom and the limits of state wiretapping laws.

GOP Rep. Harris threatened the journalist with legal consequences if she recorded him on video.

“You do not have my permission to record. If you record, we will refer you to prosecutors,” Harris told the reporter in a video that is now making rounds on the internet.

The video was captured by The Baltimore Banner photojournalist following his debate against Democratic opponent Dan Schwartz in Cambridge, Maryland.

The reporter, who is identified as Cat Murphy, a data reporter working with Capital News Service, responded, “Everyone in here is recording. Why am I not allowed to?”

Then Harris responded, “But you are not allowed to. We are in a two-party state. You are not allowed to.”

Harris, seeking a ninth term in the House, made multiple references to  Maryland’s all-party consent law, the Maryland Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Act.

What does Maryland’s wiretapping law say?

According to the act, which states it's unlawful for any person to “wilfully intercept any wire, oral, or electronic communication", it's a felony subject to imprisonment for not more than five years and/or a fine of not more than $10,000.

Multiple media reports highlighted that the law doesn’t apply to situations such as a public office holder conducting a news conference with accredited journalists in attendance, where the participants involved have no right to expect privacy.