Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) reportedly had a journalist booted from a campaign event for pressing him on his failed pledge to give his congressional salary to veterans and their families.

Back in 2020, Tuberville promised he’d donate “every dime” of his $174,000 paycheck to veterans, but when Lagniappe Daily reporter Scott Johnson asked about an investigation he’d done showing that Tuberville had failed to deliver, the senator ordered staff to “get him out” of the meet-and-greet in Mobile, Alabama.

Though the event was open to the public, Tuberville’s press secretary, Jonathan Eberle, approached Johnson while he was waiting for his turn to speak to the senator.

“We’re not doing press today,” Eberele told the reporter. “We’re not taking questions.”

Already within earshot of Tuberville, Johnson went ahead and asked the senator about the investigation, and things escalated from there.

Jon Gray, a campaign strategist for the senator, then reportedly whistled for police at the event to remove Johnson, who left without incident, according to Lagniappe Daily.

Afterward, Johnson posted on X, saying, “Alabama Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Tuberville had law enforcement escort me out of tonight’s Mobile campaign event while I tried to ask him a question.”

Tuberville’s campaign spokesperson Mallory James, however, claimed the reporter was removed after repeatedly being told the event was not open to the press.

Johnson’s investigation, published by Lagniappe Daily in June, found no evidence Tuberville had followed through on his 2020 commitment to veterans. Replying to the claim that he’d broken his promise last week, he reportedly blamed tax requirements for neglecting to make the donations.

“I said that back in 2020, and I hope everybody believed it,” Tuberville said, according to 1819 News.

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