The District 11 congressional seat hopeful (and frontrunner) is poised to win and, based on his current actions, usher in a new era of censored media and veiled coverage.
State Senator Scott Wiener, who has remained unmoved regarding criticism of his support for Israel’s genocidal actions against Gaza and campaign fundraising ties to big tech conglomerates, denied certain local news outlets access to his Tuesday night election watch party.
As of publication, reporters from Mission Local, 48 Hills, and the Gazetteer San Francisco were all initially refused access to Wiener’s hot-ticketed election-night watch party. Unignorably, all three outlets ran independent, nonpartisan pieces regarding Wiener’s Zionism and previous refusal to condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide, as well as investigations into his “dark money” financial ties (and therefore, implicit biases) to big tech companies. Reporters from The San Francisco Chronicle and The San Francisco Examiner, two outlets that covered Wieners far more favorably (read: chose to turn a blind eye toward certain subjects), were granted access without issue.
Statement from the NorCal Society of Professional Journalists: “Senator Wiener is embarrassing himself, and as someone aspiring to higher office, he knows it’s his duty to uphold the First Amendment, the foundation of the very nation he wishes to represent in Congress.”
“He doesn’t have to like the press, and he doesn’t have to like the coverage he receives, but he damn well better be even-handed about who he lets into his parties. If he is elected to Congress, is he going to ban Mission Local from covering him?”
— Mission Local (@MLNow) November 4, 2026
Joe Rivano Barros, executive editor of Mission Local, informed The Standard that Wieners’ staff’s actions were “petty” and that he was “gobsmacked” by the move; Joe Eskenazi, managing editor and columnist for Mission Local, previously remarked that Wieners’ campaign has called the news outlet a “mouthpiece” for his congressional race contender, Supervisor Connie Chan (who, as of publishing, remains some ten points behind Wiener with 51% of expected votes registered).
This is absurd. Mission Local is the only outlet that gave all candidates the ability to explain all their policy positions in depth on all issues.
If Scott wins we’re looking at years of vindictive, petty politics like this in SF.
— Saikat Chakrabarti (@saikatc) November 4, 2026
Understandably, Wiener’s campaign actions drew ire and a necessary remark from The NorCal Society of Professional Journalists.
The following is a statement released by Tom Peele, chair of the society’s freedom of information committee:
“Senator Wiener is embarrassing himself, and as someone aspiring to higher office, he knows it’s his duty to uphold the First Amendment, the foundation of the very nation he wishes to represent in Congress,” said Tom Peele, chair of the society’s freedom of information committee. “He doesn’t have to like the press, and he doesn’t have to like the coverage he receives, but he damn well better be even-handed about who he lets into his parties. If he is elected to Congress, is he going to ban Mission Local from covering him?”
Reporters from all three aforementioned news outlets were eventually allowed into Wiener election-night party … but only after the Standard’s piece ran, immediately drawing damages. As the adage goes: Once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it’s impossible to put it back in. The “toothpaste” here is any chance of Wiener’s name being synonymous with ethical virtue.
Wiener will likely announce his victory over Chan in the coming days and be sworn in as Nancy Pelosi’s successor for the United States Representative, District 11 seat come January. Those who continue to find solace in San Francisco’s new Gilded Age will cheer — and, in doing so, allow a faction of morally proper, ethically diaphanous, just local journalism to go out with a dangerous, thunderous roar.
Feature image: Courtesy of Lorie Leilani Shelley/Senate Rules Committee
