In November 2024, then-Indiana Lieutenant Governor-elect Micah Beckwith threatened the Indiana Daily Student and IU over the IDS' Nov. 7 front page. The issue featured a photo ilustration of then-President-elect Donald Trump accompanied by quotes from his former political allies. Beckwith, in posts across several social media platforms, labeled the IDS as "elitist leftist propaganda" and said it "needs to stop or we will be happy to stop it for them."
During this time, I served as managing editor of content for the IDS. For the first time in my career, I was tasked with covering the organization I worked for --- a unique challenge as outlets across the nation started closely following the story.
After covering the initial news story, I interviewed Beckwith about his concerns and thoughts. Later, I spoke with First Amendment experts and state lawmakers to report on how the state could withhold funding from IU over the issue.
“This is WOKE propaganda at its finest and why most of America looks at higher education indoctrination centers like IU as a complete joke and waste of money,” Beckwith wrote in the post.
Indiana Lieutenant Governor-elect Micah Beckwith told the Indiana Daily Student the state should investigate IU using taxpayer dollars in “covert” ways to support the IDS, which he believes contributes to pushing a “one-sided” political narrative.
State lawmakers addressed Beckwith's threats to the IDS during a state budget committee meeting in November.