The legal battle between CNN and the Trump White House is far from over even after a judge ruled last week that the administration must restore CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass.
CNN reports that the news organization has requested another emergency hearing in U.S. District Court after the White House issued a new letter to Acosta indicating his pass could again be revoked at the end of this month.
CNN released a statement saying: “The White House is continuing to violate the First and 5th Amendments of the Constitution. These actions threaten all journalists and news organizations. Jim Acosta and CNN will continue to report the news about the White House and the President.”
Last Friday’s temporary restraining order forced the White House to restore Acosta’s press pass for 14 days.
“Judge Timothy J. Kelly ruled on Fifth Amendment grounds, saying Acosta’s right to due process had been violated,” CNN reports. “He did not rule on CNN’s argument that the revocation of Acosta’s press pass was a violation of his and the network’s First Amendment rights.”
Later on Friday, the same day as the ruling, the White House sent Acosta a formal letter outlining a “preliminary decision” to suspend his pass.
“The letter — signed by two of the defendants in the suit, press secretary Sarah Sanders and deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine — cited Acosta’s conduct at President Trump’s November 7 press conference, where he asked multiple follow-up questions and didn’t give up the microphone right away,” CNN reports.
The letter is quoted telling Acosta: “You failed to abide” by “basic, widely understood practices.”
CNN adds: “Many journalists have challenged the administration’s actions against Acosta, pointing out that aggressive questioning is a tradition that dates back decades.”
Just stop covering him then see how he likes it.
Trump seems to think he’s Xi Jinping, getting rid of journalists he doesn’t like by refusing the renew their visas. Birds of tyranny follow the same flight path.
I agree that the press should stop covering him. He says that he is using twitter to get his message out. But how many people are actually on twitter. His message is actually getting out through the press that keeps carrying his tweets. Instead of letting him manipulate the press, they should take control and stop covering him unless it is a real news story. Stop covering every press briefing and self-indulgent appearance.
The press couldn’t do that – then the truth would get out rather than their carefully crafted propaganda.
Having CNN boycott would be a DREAM.
The press should show some guts and walk out en masse, especially when Trump himself is conducting the press conference as he was on 11/7. Get them to do same thing the next time he gives one of those cutesy 2 question conferences he holds when a world leader comes to D.C. for a state visit.