White House Threatens All Journalists With Vow to Still ‘Throw Acosta Out’
The Trump administration said it would again revoke the reporter’s press pass after a two-week restraining order expires.
(Common Dreams) CNN requested an emergency hearing Monday after the White House warned reporter Jim Acosta that it would again suspend his press pass after a two-week restraining order expires.
Three days after a federal judge ordered the administration to restore Acosta’s press pass allowing him to attend briefings and report on the White House, officials sent the reporter a letter warning that his rights would soon be suspended again.
“The White House is continuing to violate the First and 5th Amendments of the Constitution,” CNN said in a statement after Acosta received the letter. “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.”
Acosta has been on the receiving end of much of the Trump administration’s crusade against the free press, but other critics joined the network in saying the White House’s latest attack on him represents a threat to the press at large.
As a nationwide community of novelists, journalists, editors, and writers, PEN America holds that President Trump’s efforts to use the power of the state against the media are not only unbecoming a US President—they’re unconstitutional. https://t.co/q5nJXduJn2
— PEN America (@PENamerican) November 17, 2018
Revoking access to the White House because the President objects to questions posed by a credentialed journalist is an act of retaliation prohibited by the 1st Amendment and represents a dangerous development in this Administration’s attack on free and independent press. https://t.co/1D7pGtoC3J
— George Lehner (@GALehner) November 8, 2018
Acosta’s press pass was revoked on November 7 after the White House falsely accused him of aggressively putting his hands on an intern who was attempting to take a microphone away from him to stop him from questioning President Donald Trump.
After critics derided the administration for using a doctored video to make its point, the White House changed its story, saying last week that Acosta’s pass was revoked only because he had “refused to surrender” the microphone.
After CNN filed a lawsuit, federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly granted the network a temporary restraining order forcing the White House to restore Acosta’s press pass—emphasizing the “limited nature” of the ruling but also saying CNN would likely win its larger case against the administration.
On Sunday, the president told Fox News that the White House still planned to “throw [Acosta] out” if he was seen as “misbehaving” during a press conference. Trump also said the White House would be writing new “rules and regulations for conduct” that journalists would be required to follow, echoing Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ statement on Friday that “There must be decorum at the White House”—a call that was mocked by critics who pointed out the marked lack of respect the president has shown his opponents.
Fresh off decrying lack of “decorum” among members of the press, Trump mocks a Democratic congressman’s stature and misspells his name to call him a piece of excrement.
How’s that antibullying campaign going, @FLOTUS? pic.twitter.com/ldp1B7tcSo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 18, 2018
.@PressSec says there must be “decorum at the White House” for “fair & orderly press conferences.”
Note: Pres Trump often interrupts reporters’ q’s & reporters must then stand, as I did, & keeping talk to complete q’s & get in more q’s.
Not quite orderly but that’s the job.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) November 16, 2018
Hop8 the same judge. His judk will stop him for good .
CONTEMPT OF COURT….
Your crooked life is public. You are suppose to be a president of some people.
If so all should walk out! Those briefing r for his benefit only. Reports can’t get a decent remark when a question is asked. It’s disgusting!!
Your a DUMB ASS Trump we’re going to throw you OUT!!!!!!
The baby is afraid.grow up trump you crook.
I
I agree, the press should all boycott the briefings. They don’t learn anything but the lie of the day anyway. The press would get further just talking to staff one on one.
Give all your questions to him.
And if he throws him out stop covering him.
DICTATOR TRUMP
Such a poor loser
We should throw Trump out
Media should boycott the WH ????????
The only one deserving of being thrown out is this orange anus.
What a petty petty, disgusting orange bastard
History can’t change but we can change the future by taken back our VOTE AND OUR RIGHT FOR A FREE DEMOCRACY ..plus show TRUMP , the Republicans and our enemies you can’t get away with messing with the GREAT UNITED STATES of AMERICA..
????????????
Better yet let’s throw the little wanna be dumpy OUT
That ass dont believe in the law
Anything to distract from the crimes this administration is perpetrating
This is evil.
Let’s see. Fat boy
Time for all journalists to stay home. He’s really not news anymore.
MORON ALERT!?
Do it shithead,
Distractions, distractions, distractions!!
Stop gone to white house ,dump trump all together
These MF don’t knows what they wants to do, get they shidd together and act accordingly. Why can’t y’all be logical, White House do the people thing and let the journalists report you doing the people things.
He holds a grudge forever…this isn’t over…
Ask Rosie .
Sharon Scott …That’s not healthy to hold a grudge.
MORON
Boycott the POS.He lives for publicity. Take it away!
Fascism! Wake up America before it is too late!
I’d rather see Jim Acosta than fat ugly trump any day.
??????
All Journalists should boycott Trump the liar! We are tired of all his lies, please stop covering him until he quits lying!
We all know how the Saudis treat journalists Twump is trying to emulate them!!
agree with Beverly Davis
Then every reporter should leave, but then dt would love that, no one to report what he is doing
They all need to just walk out if and when he does this!!! trumpy won’t know what to say!!!
The Rule of Law ??
WE THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO THROW TRUMPASS OUT!!!
And Mueller has vowed to kick your sorry ass out of office
That would be in direct violation of his job as a independent investigator……
Jon Stensrud true the facts will kick him out of office
This Administration is a danger to American interests.
Quit covering him! Pretend he doesn’t exist!
Trump is such an infant!!
If Acosta was a pig, even the other hogs wouldn’t want him in the pen with them!
what ever trump
Trumpanzee idiot
BOY DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD A REAL PRESIDENT?? MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL AGAIN. LOVE YOU JIM ACOSTA!
Follow the law.We love our free press.
Trump the Deplorable!
I don’t really know why reporters even go to the White House. Trump lies continuously. I never listen to anything he says.
Louise Billings ; Good for u . We don’t give a Damn if u watch or not ! I’m sure Trump feels the same way . Be a jerk and get treated like a jerk !
Joseph Garcia , hahahaha reporting on Trump is like blab, blab, blab, and some more blabbing….it’s total nonsense since he continuously LIES !!!
yuk…the madman in chief…
Don’t allow this jerk back in Mr President ! Damn Cuban got here out of the stupidity of a weak president ! We should revoke his Citizenship !
Bullies
That is bullshit. He would be against a court order.
If he does that they ALL should walk out
screw you Adolph Trump.
Traitor. Dictator
Where the hell did you dig up all these libturd naysayers. They have obviously been in lala land chewing on their binkies. President Trump has been working his butt off to make this country great again and all you libturds want to tear it down. Crawl back under your rock and stfu.
Free press enemy to every dictator
trump..you are a total disgrace to humanity. but your days are numbered in our house !!
TRUMP should be the one that’s thrown out!!!!
Cry baby didn’t get his way so he is throwing a fit
Trump is insane