A judge ordered the White House to restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's privileges covering the Trump administration on Friday. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc)
In Victory for Free Press, Judge Rules Trump Must Immediately Restore Jim Acosta's Press Pass
"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
In a victory for press freedom, a federal judge on Friday granted CNN's emergency motion to immediately restore White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials, which were revoked by the Trump administration last week after a chaotic post-midterm press conference.
Over a dozen news organizations announced their support for CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration this week as the Justice Department argued in a court filing that "[n]o journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House."
"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law. The White House surely hoped that expelling a reporter would deter forceful questioning, but the court's ruling will have the opposite effect," the ACLU wrote on Twitter. "The freedom of the press is a bedrock principle, and our democracy is strengthened when journalists challenge our leaders rather than defer to them."
While the judge--who is a Trump appointee--didn't rule on the underlying case, his decision to grant CNN's emergency motion was viewed as an important victory for the organization and the American media as a whole.
"We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days," CNN and Acosta said in a statement. "Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong, and independent American press."
\u201c"Let's go back to work."\n\nCNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta thanks colleagues, judge following decision ordering White House to immediately restore his press pass. https://t.co/dt6f0Awwoe\u201d— ABC News (@ABC News) 1542382949
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
In a victory for press freedom, a federal judge on Friday granted CNN's emergency motion to immediately restore White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials, which were revoked by the Trump administration last week after a chaotic post-midterm press conference.
Over a dozen news organizations announced their support for CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration this week as the Justice Department argued in a court filing that "[n]o journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House."
"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law. The White House surely hoped that expelling a reporter would deter forceful questioning, but the court's ruling will have the opposite effect," the ACLU wrote on Twitter. "The freedom of the press is a bedrock principle, and our democracy is strengthened when journalists challenge our leaders rather than defer to them."
While the judge--who is a Trump appointee--didn't rule on the underlying case, his decision to grant CNN's emergency motion was viewed as an important victory for the organization and the American media as a whole.
"We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days," CNN and Acosta said in a statement. "Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong, and independent American press."
\u201c"Let's go back to work."\n\nCNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta thanks colleagues, judge following decision ordering White House to immediately restore his press pass. https://t.co/dt6f0Awwoe\u201d— ABC News (@ABC News) 1542382949
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
In a victory for press freedom, a federal judge on Friday granted CNN's emergency motion to immediately restore White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials, which were revoked by the Trump administration last week after a chaotic post-midterm press conference.
Over a dozen news organizations announced their support for CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration this week as the Justice Department argued in a court filing that "[n]o journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House."
"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law. The White House surely hoped that expelling a reporter would deter forceful questioning, but the court's ruling will have the opposite effect," the ACLU wrote on Twitter. "The freedom of the press is a bedrock principle, and our democracy is strengthened when journalists challenge our leaders rather than defer to them."
While the judge--who is a Trump appointee--didn't rule on the underlying case, his decision to grant CNN's emergency motion was viewed as an important victory for the organization and the American media as a whole.
"We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days," CNN and Acosta said in a statement. "Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong, and independent American press."
\u201c"Let's go back to work."\n\nCNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta thanks colleagues, judge following decision ordering White House to immediately restore his press pass. https://t.co/dt6f0Awwoe\u201d— ABC News (@ABC News) 1542382949