An unusual intervention by an elevator last week complicated U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn's efforts to avoid answering press questions at a local event.
Ben Hall, a journalist with NewsChannel 5, the CBS affiliate in Nashville, described the encounter in a segment posted online. Hall stated he was invited to an event hosted by Blackburn and was informed she would be available for questions. When she did not engage with reporters, Hall followed her into a hallway as she waited for an elevator.
"I am here on federal time," Blackburn said as she awaited the elevator. Hall then asked about her gubernatorial campaign and why she was refusing to debate her Republican opponents. Blackburn responded by stating, "We're talking to Tennesseans every single day." She has not held an in-person town hall since 2017.
When Hall pressed further, asking about a state subsidy deal with Starbucks, Blackburn again replied, "We're talking to Tennesseans every single day."
Hall continued to question her about her willingness to conduct interviews, noting that multiple requests had been made. Blackburn reiterated her previous response: "We talk to Tennesseans every day."
According to Hall, this exchange lasted for approximately one minute and 24 seconds before the elevator doors opened. Hall reported that even after Blackburn entered the elevator, the doors reopened, providing another opportunity for him to ask a question, which she again declined to answer. Mashable has reported that Blackburn is a close ally of former President Donald Trump.