Ken Hagan’s feud with reporter distracted from big Rays news

Ever since he suffered a perceived slight from WTSP-Channel 10 reporter Noah Pransky during the Go Hillsborough transportation effort, Ken Hagan has given the award-winning reporter the cold shoulder.

The Hillsborough County Commissioner has repeatedly said on camera that he will never respond directly to a question posed by the CBS-affiliated newsman.

Hagan’s news blackout was evident Friday afternoon in Ybor City, during one of the largest gathering of news media in recent times, where the commissioner kicked off a news conference announcing the Tampa Bay Rays desire to build a new stadium in Tampa.

Pransky asked Hagan, considering discussions about the Ybor City site had gone on for a year: “a lot of viewers are telling us their concerns that they haven’t heard a lot about the financing options that have been discussed behind the scenes. What you tell them?”

Hagan refused to answer the question.

Instead, he responded: “Noah, you’re well aware that due to your misleading reporting that I do not speak to you.”

After attempting a follow-up, Pransky was awkwardly told by public relations consultant Gina Morales that the questioning would move on with another reporter.

Once the news conference ended, Pransky and his cameraman tried to ask the same question to Hagan as he exited through the back door of the Tampa Baseball Museum, where the news conference was held.

The reporter was blocked by J.D. White, a former staffer for U.S. Rep. David Jolly who now works for public relations firm, Mercury LLC.

Watch what happened next:

Hagan is running for Hillsborough Commission District 2 seat this fall, where he is the prohibitive favorite.

(Still photo courtesy of Kim DeFalco.)