Donald Trump’s presidential campaign field office in Augusta hosted its grand opening Friday, June 21, but local journalists were shut out.
The Republican National Committee (RNC), the Georgia Republican Party (GAGOP) and the Trump Campaign, coordinated the launch of the new office, called Trump Force 47. The grand opening began at 9 a.m. and boasted a packed house, with Georgia representatives Mark Newton and Gary Richardson attending along with U.S. Rep. Rick Allen and Columbia County District Attorney Bobby Christine. The office will be in the Columbia Road Professional Center in Martinez.
The opening was a public event, but The Augusta Press was not allowed to cover its proceedings.
TAP was made aware of the event through a mass email from Richmond County Republican Party, inviting the public to attend and including a link to RSVP. However, Wylie Shaw, a deputy field director with the Trump campaign, told TAP that media was not permitted.
Shortly after TAP attempted to contact Sarah Jane Walker, RNC state director for Georgia, Henry Scavone, the Georgia RNC’s communications director, responded to confirm that the Augusta Trump headquarters opening was, in fact, closed from the press.
“We have office openings happening a lot throughout the state, right now we have over a dozen,” said Scavone, noting that the RNC, the Georgia GOP or the Trump Campaign would have distributed a media advisory. “Some are going to be closed press openings, and some are going to be open press openings, just because of the nature of the openings, sometimes.”
Scavone also said that Team Trump sends separate RSVPs to media for open press events, citing recent Trump Force 47 office openings in Fayette and Gwinnett Counties that allowed press, as well as an opening in Savannah, Saturday, that was closed off from the press.
The grand opening came about week after the Richmond County Democratic Party opened the Biden-Harris field office on 459 Broad St. The Trump Force 47 office is located at 4210 Columbia Rd., Bldg. 11.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
