CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a lawsuit against the administration of United States President Donald Trump over the revocation of their White House press access.
The three media organisations announced the legal action on Monday, saying they were seeking the restoration of access for their journalists and protection of their rights under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The case was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, according to Reuters.
The lawsuit follows Trump’s announcement on Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House. The President accused the outlets of publishing what he described as “FICTION and LIES” about him, his administration and the United States.
The White House subsequently implemented the restriction on Saturday, when journalists from the three organisations were denied entry to the White House grounds and their press credentials were confiscated.
In a joint statement announcing the legal action, the organisations said the government should not have the authority to determine what journalists report or publish.
“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” they said.
The media organisations further alleged that their journalists’ credentials were revoked without notice or due process because of objections to their reporting.
“Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they said.
The legal action comes two days after reporters from the three outlets were turned away from the White House. Reuters reported that the journalists’ press passes were taken as the administration enforced Trump’s directive.
The organisations are asking the federal court to restore their access while they challenge the administration’s decision. Reuters reported that the case could see emergency proceedings as early as this week.
The dispute has also drawn reactions from press freedom organisations and other media groups, with the White House Correspondents’ Association calling for the affected journalists’ access to be reinstated. The association has argued that excluding a news organisation because of its coverage could establish a precedent affecting other media outlets.
The lawsuit now places the dispute before the federal courts, where the legality of the administration’s decision and the First Amendment issues raised by the media organisations will be considered.
