title:  RNC BANS Watchdog That Has Attended The GOP Convention EVERY YEAR Since 1996
text: The Republican National Committee seems to be crumbling before His Royal Censorness, Donald Trump, even when it comes to barring unfriendly media outlets from the GOP convention. Open Secrets, a non-profit outlet that scrutinizes lobbyists, federal agencies, politicians of all stripes and more, can t get into the GOP convention this year, despite having gone every year for the past 20 years.They tweeted about it, asking if other non-profit outlets had experienced this problem and shining a nice, bright spotlight on the whole thing:We ve been denied press creds. by RNC, though we ve had them every convention back to  96. Any other nonprofit news orgs in the same boat?  OpenSecrets.org (@OpenSecretsDC) July 1, 2016Welcome to Donald Trump s world.Trumplestiltskin has banned at least nine media outlets from covering his rallies, including major ones like the Washington Post, The Huffington Post and Politico. He s also banned individual reporters from his rallies who work for a much larger range of outlets. They all seem to have a bad habit of making him look bad and, well, King Trump just can t have that.Trump is so sensitive to anyone that doesn t bow and scrape before his dirty little feet that he promised to open up libel laws so it s easier to sue the press and  win lots of money.  In other words, censorship. It s a wonder that Tea Partiers, who allegedly want a return to running the country according to the letter of the Constitution, actually support him given how he s openly threatened to tear up the First Amendment (and others, too).Trump also has a history of filing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, which is suing someone for exercising their First Amendment rights. It s ridiculously clear that he uses lawsuits as a weapon and a negotiating tool, and he also makes a point of suing anyone he doesn t like. As the GOP s standard-bearer, it s patently obvious that they re kowtowing to him.Open Secrets was allegedly barred because of space constraints. Viveca Novak, the editor of Open Secrets  money-in-politics blog, said that there was no process for appeal, and they re now stuck trying to cancel travel plans without losing too much money. FactCheck.org was initially denied credentials as well, but they got an appeal and succeeded, so what the hell?RNC communications director Kevin Spicer said that the credentialing process goes through the House and Senate press galleries. However, because Open Secrets is a non-profit, they re considered special press and must go through the RNC s special press director. Which is it, space or problems with the credentialing process? They can t get their story straight, and Novak poked them for it: Doesn t seem like it s for lack of space. https://t.co/y6PHJNlCZ6 https://t.co/pf4WvahOO2  Viveca Novak (@vjn) July 1, 2016The Hill has a story listing some of the prominent Republicans who aren t going to the convention this year because of Drumpf, and because of what he stands for. Bush the Greater, Bush the Lesser, and Bush the Least aren t going. John McCain isn t going. Mitt Romney likely isn t going either, even though it s traditional for past nominees to attend. Both John Kasich and Ted Cruz turned down opportunities to speak. And there s a whole host of delegates who won t be in attendance either.Of course, there is a very slim chance that the RNC is telling the truth about space and credentialing and Trump actually had nothing to do with this.Pathetically slim.So slim that it s virtually nonexistent.It s just way too coincidental that they d do this to an outlet that s attended their convention every year since 1996 while preparing to crown the very man that has openly said he wants to censor the press. They also don t have their story straight. Open Secrets will be allowed at the Democratic convention, though, so that s something. Just not the Republican one. Welcome to life under King Trump.Featured image by By WisPolitics.com, CC BY-SA 2.0, Commons