CNN, MS NOW, Politico sue White House over lack of press access
In response, ABC, CNN, CBS, Fox News, and NBC have suspended their White House pool coverage.
Three major news organizations—CNN, MSNBC, and Politico—have united in a lawsuit against the White House, alleging a violation of their First Amendment rights, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The outlets claim that the Trump administration unilaterally revoked their credentials, ostensibly due to disagreement with their reporting.
"This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles," the suit asserts. "No official can deprive Plaintiffs of those interests on a whim—with no notice, no process, and no warning," reads the legal document.
In response to the incident, five additional news outlets—ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox News—suspended their joint pool coverage of the White House. The shared statement emphasizes the public's vital interest in obtaining accurate, independent information about its government, stating that no administration should restrict a news organization solely because it objects to its reporting.
The lawsuit is not the first instance of the White House attempting to limit press access. Earlier this year, the Associated Press was barred from the White House briefing room for declining to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." A judge sided with the AP within a few months. During the previous presidential term, CNN's Jim Acosta faced a brief ban before a judge reinstated his access. However, according to THR, the outcome of this potential litigation may hinge on which judge ultimately handles the case.
Written by urgent.news from The A.V. Club's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
