Hold on, folks! It seems like there's been a major shake-up in El Paso County. 
#Censorship is now the name of the game. Brace yourselves for a severe lack of information and a flood of misinformation because they're clamping down on the media. 
Can someone please explain the logic behind this?!
Apparently, El Paso County has revamped the way local media can access information from county officials, and it's making it super difficult to keep the community informed about important issues. 
Under this new policy, only the judge and county commissioners are allowed to speak to the media. 
The judge claims it's a positive move, but seriously, does that make any sense? 
When questioned about the need for this policy change, Judge Samaniego said it was all about avoiding misinformation. 
Okay, fair enough, but at what cost? Transparency, perhaps? 
The judge did mention that they'll be revisiting the policy in March, probably realizing that it needs some serious fine-tuning, especially with elections around the corner. 
They better make sure the right people are available to the media, or else it's just more smoke and mirrors. 
Meanwhile, El Paso County's own Laura Gallegos chimed in with a response, stating that county departments are strictly forbidden from giving interviews on topics that the Commissioners Court hasn't discussed and acted upon. 
So, basically, they're keeping a tight lid on everything until it's been approved by the court. How convenient.
In defense of this controversial policy change, Judge Ricardo Samaniego argues that it's necessary to control misinformation and provide transparency. 
Well, Judge, it remains to be seen whether this approach will achieve its intended goals. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out. 
#ElPasoCounty #MediaAccess #TransparencyMatters #InformationFlow #FreePress #DemocracyInDanger
