Virginia Dem, who touts transparency, bans tracker from recording public event

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Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., banned video recording at a public event she was speaking at last week, despite repeatedly calling for transparency in government.

Fox News obtained video of a tracker being denied access to record a town hall meeting with Luria in Virginia Beach Thursday evening.

"Is it OK that I film?" the tracker asked Luria staffers in the video.

"Actually, there’s no recording," one staffer responded. "We have a sign right there."

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A person identified in the video as the congresswoman's communications director then informed the tracker that the local press were recording the event.

"I understand," the tracker replied. "But if a constituent were to come in here with an iPhone and just wanted to record their elected representative, you wouldn't allow that?"

"Are you a constituent?" the director asked.

"Me personally, no," the tracker responded. "But that being said, if someone was to come in here and film, would that be something that would be appropriate?"

"We just want to make sure that we have press access," the director replied. "We sent out an advisory ahead of the event to make sure local media knows this is happening. We want to make sure that this is open and transparent for everyone."

An Eventbrite page for the event made no mention of the recording ban – only that large signs, flags and banners would be prohibited and that all attendees must wear face masks.

"Congresswoman Luria will provide an update on her recent work and priorities in Congress and have a question-and-answer session," the event description read. 

A photo obtained by Fox News showed a sign posted at the event that read, "NO RECORDING."

Breitbart reported earlier this month that Luria had similarly posted a sign reading, "No Recording, Large Banners, or Flags Allowed," during a June 21 town hall in Virginia Beach.

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Luria, a Navy veteran and vice chair of the House Committee on Armed Services, has repeatedly called for more transparency in government, particularly in the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Defense Department and in the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Luria's office did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.