US Federal Judge sides with CNN Reporter, rules against White House & President Trump

November 17, 2018:

Judge issued a temporary restraining order that requires the White House to restore Acosta’s access until a full hearing is held.

A US federal judge on Friday sided with CNN & ordered the White House to restore reporter Jim Acosta’s press badge that had been revoked after a testy exchange between him & President Donald Trump at a news conference a week ago.

The case had become a test of press freedom under President Trump, who has routinely clashed with reporters, called them “stupid”, disparaged news reports as “fake news” & attacked news publications.

Every major news publication & network, including the conservative Fox News, had supported & joined CNN’s legal challenge to the revocation of Acosta’s White House press badge, which is called “Hard Pass”.

Judge Timothy J Kelly of Federal District Court in Washington, a Trump appointee, ruled, siding with CNN’s argument, that the White House had not followed “due process” in cancelling the reporter’s credential — that there should be a proper procedure to determine who decides who gets or doesn’t get a press pass & what are the grounds for withdrawing it.

The White House had argued the President has broad authority to decide.

CNN welcomed the verdict saying, “We are gratified with this result & we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days. Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong & independent American press.”

“I just want to thank all my colleagues in the press who supported me this week. I want to thank the judge & let’s go back to work,” Acosta told reporters outside the DC court.

There had been no response from the White House till the filing of this report. Source Link