CNN Sues the White House Over Jim Acosta Battle
by EG
The framers of the United States Constitution felt pretty strongly about freedom of the press and citizens' right to due process. CNN claims that the White House has violated both of the principles by barring its reporter from asking the president uncomfortable questions, and the network is taking those claims to court. Read on for details.
Via Deadline.
CNN has sued the White House for pulling Jim Acosta’s press credentials the day after President Donald Trump’s thumping in the midterm elections.
The cable news network filed a lawsuit against Trump and top aides, including White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Shine, as well as the Secret Service which took away Acosta’s hard pass that afternoon.
We are not the enemy of the people. I am not your enemy. You are not my enemy. It is wrong to call your fellow Americans the enemy. We are all on the same team. We are all Americans.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 29, 2018
CNN filed its lawsuit against the Trump administration this morning in DC District Court, demanding the return of White House credentials to its chief White House correspondent. Read it here.
Trump claims election fraud, tells me, “There’s a lot of crooked stuff going on.”
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) November 9, 2018
But when I press him whether there’s any evidence, he deflects: “I don’t know. You tell me.” pic.twitter.com/yuUdht573r
“The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta’s First Amendment right of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process,” CNN said in a statement.
“We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process.
“While the suit is specific to CNN and Acosta, this could have happened to anyone,” CNN cautioned. “If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials.”
Trump’s morning-after-midterms presser devolved into a White House brawl when Acosta poked the presidential bear with his line of questioning about Trump’s Caravan Invasion rally rhetoric.
“That’s enough! Put down the mic!” Trump ordered Acosta. “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You should not be working for CNN.”
“The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible. The way you treat other people is horrible!” Trump hissed.
It smacked of theater, given that Trump had picked Acosta from among the crowd of reporters, to ask a question. Almost as if Trump, worried about Democrat’s gaining control of the House and investigations likely to follow, was looking for the proverbial “dog” to kick.
“I’m not a big fan of yours either!” Trump spit back when NBC’s White House Correspondent Peter Alexander come to Acosta’s defense, telling Trump his comment was “unfair” and adding, Acosta is “a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us.”
Get the rest of the story at Deadline.
Do you think CNN has a case? Let us know in the comments below.