Fox News will support CNN’s lawsuit over Jim Acosta’s press credential

NEW YORK — CNN is getting support from rival Fox News in its legal battle against the White House over the revocation of press credentials for reporter Jim Acosta.

Fox News President Jay Wallace said in a statement Wednesday that his division will file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court that backs the lawsuit filed by CNN against President Donald Trump and other administration officials. The lawsuit was prompted by the decision to suspend Acosta’s White House press pass after a conflict at a news conference last week.

“Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized,” Wallace said. “While we don’t condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the president and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.”

Fox News is among more than a dozen news companies and journalism organizations that plan to file friend-of-court briefs on behalf of CNN, including the Los Angeles Times, NBC News, The Associated Press, USA Today Network, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Gannett Co.

“It is imperative that independent journalists have access to the president and his activities, and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons,” the entities said in a statement. “Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question the president, or any president.”

CNN’s lawsuit, filed Tuesday, says the suspension of Acosta’s credentials violates the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. It also says the way the administration revoked the pass, with no direct notice to Acosta or a written explanation detailing the decision, violated the Fifth Amendment’s protection of due process and the federal Administrative Procedure Act.