But the White House action is unprecedented,” Zucker wrote Tuesday in an internal memo to staff. “This is not a step we have taken lightly. The suit alleges that both the White House and Secret Service did not, and have not, followed due process in denying Acosta’s access: “Neither the White House nor the Secret Service has provided Acosta any formal notice of the reasons for, opportunity to be heard regarding, or opportunity to challenge, the decision to revoke his hard pass.”Īccording to the suit, CNN president Jeff Zucker emailed Kelly last Thursday and demanded that Acosta’s access be reinstated. “We can’t have the White House or government officials arbitrarily tossing people out of the White House or other government facilities just because they don’t like what they’re saying or reporting,” he said.

Boutrous Jr., who is representing CNN and Acosta (along with attorney Theodore Olson), appeared on the network and said it “was clear” that the White House suspended Acosta because of his reporting.

A hard pass is effectively required to be a White House correspondent for a national news organization such as CNN.” … Without a hard pass, a reporter may well miss the newsworthy events, particularly including the many notable events that occur with little notice. The argument was also made that the White House is Acosta’s workplace, and that his hard pass is mandatory: “Without this credential, a daily White House correspondent like Acosta effectively cannot do his or her job. In the lawsuit, the network said that Acosta “is widely reputed as a diligent and thorough reporter for one of the nation’s most respected and widely watched networks.” Of the White House’s decision to suspend Acosta’s access, the plaintiffs argued in the suit: “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.” If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business.” The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. This was not the first time this reporter has inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters.”Ĭontinued Sanders: “The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional. Acosta asked the President two questions - each of which the President answered - he physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions. Acosta is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment,” Sanders said in the statement. “CNN, who has nearly 50 additional hard pass holders, and Mr. The White House responded to the lawsuit in a statement, blasting it as “just more grandstanding from CNN” and adding, “We will vigorously defend against this lawsuit.” The president of the United States should not be in the business of arbitrarily picking the men and women who cover him.” “We continue to urge the administration to reverse course and fully reinstate CNN’s correspondent. “Revoking access to the White House complex amounted to disproportionate reaction to the events of last Wednesday,” the group said in part. The White House Correspondents’ Association issued a statement Tuesday supporting CNN’s suit. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta’s First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process.”

“It demands the return of the White House credentials of CNN’s chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. District Court,” the network said in a statement. “CNN filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in D.C. In the most dramatic action yet in the ongoing feud between the media and the White House, CNN on Tuesday filed suit to reverse the Trump administration’s decision last Wednesday to suspend chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta’s “hard pass,” which grants access to the building.

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