We brought you reports yesterday stating that Cable News Network (CNN) dragged President Trump to court over the ban of a news reporter, Jim Acosta from the White House
An update on the said case reveals that the judge in Washington has ordered the White House to return CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press pass after it was revoked by the US Secret Service.
The judge’s order says that the pass must be reinstated as a CNN lawsuit against Donald Trump continues. The judge said the White House decision likely violated the journalist’s right to due process and freedom of speech and ordered Trump to take back the fired journalist.
Though it is uncertain whether Trump would obey the court’s order, Speaking outside the court, Mr Acosta praised the decision and told reporters “let’s go back to work”.
Recall that the American news-based pay television channel dragged the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump as well as top aides
The lawsuit filed against President Trump and several of his aides, is seeking the immediate restoration of chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta’s access to the White House.
According to reports, this is coming after the White House suspended Acosta’s press pass, known as a Secret Service “hard pass,” just last week.
The suit which was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday morning, alleges that Acosta and CNN’s First and Fifth Amendment rights are being violated by the ban.
Both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit. There are six defendants: Trump, chief of staff John Kelly, press secretary Sarah Sanders, deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine, the director of the Secret Service, and the Secret Service officer who took Acosta’s hard pass away last Wednesday. The officer is identified as John Doe in the suit, pending his identification.
The six defendants are all named because of their roles in enforcing and announcing Acosta’s suspension.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, CNN said it is seeking a preliminary injunction as soon as possible so that Acosta can return to the White House right away, and a ruling from the court preventing the White House from revoking Acosta’s pass in the future.
“CNN filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration this morning in DC District Court,” the statement read. “It demands the return of the White House credentials of CNN’s Chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. 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. We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association said it “strongly supports CNN’s goal of seeing their correspondent regain a US Secret Service security credential that the White House should not have taken away in the first place.”
CNN also asserted that other news organizations could have been targeted by the Trump administration this way, and could be in the future.