Rep to Reporter: 'If You Record,' I'll 'Refer You to Prosecutors'

Rep. Andy Harris' tense debate night didn't end at the podium. After sparring with his Democratic challenger on Tuesday in Cambridge, Md., the Republican congressman confronted Capital News Service reporter Cat Murphy during a post-debate media gaggle, warning, "If you record, we will refer you to prosecutors," according to video captured by the Baltimore Banner. Harris repeatedly cited Maryland's all-party consent wiretap law and called for an officer, reports ABC News, telling someone to "take her camera," even as other journalists pointed out they were in a public setting with no expectation of privacy.

"Cat recorded openly in a public space alongside other news outlets," said Rafael Lorente, dean of the University of Maryland's Merrill School, where Murphy is a master's student, per WBALTV. "That is her legal right, I'm proud of how she handled herself in a difficult situation." Legal experts note the statute covers private communications, not open press availabilities. Harris, seeking a ninth House term, left the room complaining Murphy had "ruined" the gaggle. He did not respond to ABC News' request for comment.