Washington, Sep 20 (IANS) The White House Correspondents’ Association called on the Trump administration to immediately restore access to journalists from CNN, POLITICO and MS NOW, saying the decision to bar them from the White House violates the First Amendment.
“Today’s action revoking access for journalists from CNN, POLITICO, and MSNOW violates the First Amendment,” WHCA President Jacqui Heinrich said in a statement after journalists from the three organisations were turned away from the White House.
CNN senior White House reporter Betsy Klein and MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner were denied entry after their press badges were deactivated. POLITICO White House reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also denied entry and her credential was confiscated, according to the news organisations.
The action came a day after President Donald Trump announced that he was barring the three organisations from the White House, accusing them of reporting “FAKE NEWS.” Asked later about his decision, Trump said there was no single incident behind it and described it as the result of “cumulative stories over the past few years.”
Heinrich said the decision carried implications well beyond the three organisations.
“The implications extend beyond these organizations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any outlet in the future,” she said.
“The American people, through a free and independent press, must be able to scrutinize those elected to power, regardless of whether government officials view it favorably.”
Heinrich said established legal precedent placed limits on the government’s ability to withdraw access once it had been granted.
“That’s why courts have repeatedly held that once the White House provides access to journalists, it cannot deny that access arbitrarily or based on the content of their reporting. The WHCA calls on the administration to immediately restore our colleagues’ access.”
The three news organisations said they would continue their reporting and defend their First Amendment rights. POLITICO Global Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Greenberger said the organisation would “vigorously defend our First Amendment rights.” MS NOW said it intended to take steps necessary to defend its rights and the role of independent journalism. CNN called the restriction an illegal assault on its constitutional rights.
–IANS
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