USA - First Amendment: Washington, D.C. Judge has ordered the White House to immediately restore CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press credentials

A victory for Freedom of Speech

A judge in Washington, D.C. has ordered the White House to immediately restore CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press credentials.

US District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, an appointee of President Donald Trump, announced the decision Friday.
The White House revoked Acosta’s credentials after he and Trump tangled during a press conference last week.

First Amendment of the US Constituation - Religion and Expression. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 

 

EU-Digest

USA - Freedom of the Press: Jim Acosta should sue Trump, and Americans should shun Sanders - Jennifer Rubin Opinion writer should shun Sarah Sanders - by Jennifer Rubin

The White House revoked the press pass of and defamed CNN’s Jim Acosta, falsely accusing him of  putting his hands on an intern. Press secretary Sarah Sanders accused Acosta of “placing his hands” on the intern. In fact, video shows conclusively that the woman tried to grab the microphone from his hands, and he held onto it:

Slowed down the @Acosta encounter to show the FOUR times the White House staffer touched HIM... not the other way around. Unclear if she's been suspended. pic.twitter.com/gBhlR2r5P1

President Trump’s conduct (Sanders surely didn’t do this on her own) violates every democratic norm one can think of — and what’s more, is illegal.

The First Amendment protects the press’s right to report the news and the public’s right to receive that news. The government cannot punish or threaten the press or individuals based on the content of what is reported. In fact, in a public forum, which Twitter was deemed to be, a federal court already ordered Trump to unblock Twitter users who were critical of him.

There is actually a lawsuit pending alleging that Trump is violating the First Amendment of members of the press by using the powers of his office to curtail criticism. As I reported last month, “PEN’s lawsuit is not brought on behalf of those whom Trump threatened (e.g., The Post, Time Warner). Instead, it alleges: ‘Defendant’s use of the power and machinery of government to punish his media critics creates an atmosphere in which journalists must work under the threat of government retaliation. This environment, underscored by Defendant Trump’s campaign of intimidation against critical reporting, casts a chill on speech that — even if braved and overcome by diligent and courageous reporters — constitutes an ongoing First Amendment violation.'”

Read more: Jim Acosta should sue Trump, and Americans should shun Sarah Sanders - The Washington Post