A victory for CNN today. A Donald Trump-appointed judge ruled the White House was wrong to revoke Jim Acosta’s press pass. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said the judge basically said, “If you are going to take away a hard pass there has to be an explanation, a process, some sort of standards if you are going to take away first amendment rights in this way.”
"Let's go back to work."
CNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta thanks colleagues, judge following decision ordering White House to immediately restore his press pass. https://t.co/dt6f0Awwoe pic.twitter.com/Vfj3SbinN6
— ABC News (@ABC) November 16, 2018
Statement from CNN and @Acosta on today’s ruling: “We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days. Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press.”
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 16, 2018
It’s been more than a week since CNN’s Jim Acosta was told he could no longer return to the White House. His pass was pulled after a contentious exchange where Trump told Acosta he was “rude” and “horrible.”
"Reporting for duty," says @acosta at the WH northwest gate to get his press pass back and enter the WH grounds. pic.twitter.com/Dn7XFmwGQt
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 16, 2018
This court hearing only tackled a temporary order seeking to immediately restore Acosta’s credentials. There still may be a bigger court battle ahead if the White House decides to pursue it further.
The lawsuit named Trump, Chief of Staff John Kelly, Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Shine, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and members of U.S. Secret Service.
Here’s part of the official complaint:
“…on November 7, 2018, Defendants revoked Acosta’s White House credentials because, in the President’s own words, Acosta failed to “treat the White House with respect” at a White House press briefing. This severe and unprecedented punishment is the culmination of years of hostility by President Trump against CNN and Acosta based on the contents of their reporting—an unabashed attempt to censor the press and exclude reporters from the White House who challenge and dispute the President’s point of view.”
Several news organizations, including Fox News, filed “friend of the court briefs to support CNN.” According to Politico:
The White House Correspondents’ Association filed a court brief Thursday backing CNN’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, arguing that the president does not have the power to deny reporters access to the White House.
“The President’s view of the law is wrong,” the WHCA’s amicus brief states. “While he may have absolute discretion to exclude a member of the press from his Trump Tower residence, he does not have absolute discretion to exclude a member of the press from the White House.”