Waukesha Co. Sheriff's Department: Event staff requested Post reporter be escorted from Pence rally

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- Officials with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department want to make it very clear: Their deputies did not remove a Washington Post reporter from the Gov. Mike Pence rally Wednesday evening, July 27th in Waukesha.

The Washington Post on Thursday posted an article claiming their reporter, Jose DelReal, was booted from the event -- as both a journalist and a spectator.

A press conference was held in Waukesha Thursday afternoon to try to clear up some confusion about the event.

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow says the Sheriff's Department was merely providing additional security for the event when, for whatever reason, private security staff at the Pence rally didn't want DelReal there, and made him leave.

"For reasons unknown to the Sheriff's Department, event staff escorted the Washington Post reporter from the facility," Torin Misko with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department said.

DelReal said he was denied press credentials when he arrived Wednesday evening. The Trump-Pence campaign reserved the Waukesha County Expo Center for Pence's first solo campaign stop since the Republican National Convention.

Sheriff's officials said in a statement Thursday that DelReal arrived late for the event.

He allegedly tried to enter through the general admission line, but was stopped by private security officials who said he couldn't enter with his laptop and cell phone.

Sheriff's deputies said DelReal consented to a pat-down after putting the items in his car. Nothing was found during the pat-down, but DelReal was still removed from the event soon after he entered.

In the past, Donald Trump's campaign has denied credentials to news outlets he doesn't like, but generally, the reporters have been able to access campaign events through the public entrance.

Officials in Waukesha said DelReal was removed for reasons unknown to the Sheriff's Department. They said it was a decision made by event staff.

"At this point, the client came to the Sheriff`s Department and said, 'we would like you to back us up on what`s going on.' We didn`t make that decision on what to do. It was the client who made that decision and we supported that. We're here on behalf of the client," Farrow said.

A news release from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department issued Thursday indicates the following:

Waukesha County Deputy Inspector Torin Misko issued a statement saying the following:

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow said this in the statement: