Indianapolis lawyer, broadcaster, and journalist Abdul-Hakim Shabazz of Indy Politics settled his legal dispute with Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita Monday. The settlement states that Shabazz is allowed to attend any news conferences held by Rokita in the future.
In October 2021, Shabazz was told that he was not allowed to enter Rokita’s news conference on robocalls because he was not “credentialed media.”
The Attorney General’s office later released a statement that claimed Shabazz was barred because he is “not an actual journalist” but “a gossip columnist.”
Last month, the ACLU on behalf of Shabazz filed suit in federal court.
The settlement reached Monday states that “the plaintiff is not barred from future in-person press conferences held by the defendant and will be allowed admission consistent with terms and conditions utilized for other press or media.”
“This a major victory for not only yours truly, but for all the media in Indiana. The Attorney General should have never banned me in the first place,” said Shabazz Monday morning.
WIBC’s Rob Kendall spoke with Abdul about his lawsuit and subsequent victory against Rokita Tuesday. Click the link below to listen to the full interview.
