CNN sues White House to regain Acosta’s credentials

CNN sued NEW YORK — the White House Tuesday, demanding that correspondent Jim Acosta’s credentials to cover the White House be returned because their revocation violates the con- stitutional right of freedom of the press.

The administration stripped Acosta of his pass following President Donald Trump’s contentious news conference last week, where Acosta refused to give up a microphone when the pres- ident said he didn’t want to hear anything more from him.

White House Press Secre- tary Sarah Sanders said “this is just more grandstanding from CNN, and we will vig- orously defend against his lawsuit.”

Trump has made CNN and its reporters a particular target of his denunciation of “fake news” and characterization of the media as an enemy of the people. CNN CEO Jeff Zucker, in a letter to White House chief of staff John Kelly, called it a “pattern of targeted harassment.”

The White House initially contended it was Acosta’s refusal to give up the micro- phone that led to his banish- ment; CNN said it’s apparent the president didn’t like his questions.

“Mr. Acosta’s press cre- dentials must be restored so that all members of the press know they will remain free to ask tough questions, challenge government offi- cials and report the business of the nation to the American people,” said Theodore Olson, former U.S. solicitor general and one of CNN’s lawyers on the case.

The White House Correspondents’ Association backed the lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., district court.

“The president of the United States should not be in the business of arbitrarily picking the men and women who cover him,” said Olivier Knox, president of the cor- respondents’ group.