Acosta back at White House
WASHINGTON • CNN reporter Jim Acosta returned to the White House on Friday after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return his press credentials.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, an appointee of President Donald Trump, agreed to the network’s request for a temporary restraining order forcing the White House to give back Acosta’s credentials while CNN’s lawsuit proceeds.
CNN alleges that Acosta’s First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated when the White House revoked his “hard pass.”
While the judge didn’t rule on the underlying case, he ordered Acosta’s pass returned for now in part because he said CNN was likely to prevail on its Fifth Amendment claim — that Acosta hadn’t received sufficient notice or explanation before his credentials were revoked or been given sufficient opportunity to respond before they were. He noted he had not determined that the First Amendment was violated.
The judge said the government could not say who initially decided to revoke Acosta’s hard pass and how that decision was reached.
“In response to the court, we will temporarily reinstate the reporter’s hard pass,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
“We will also further develop rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “If they don’t listen to the rules and regulations, we will end up back in court and we will win.”
He later added: “We want total freedom of the press. It’s very important to me, more important to me than anybody would believe. But you have to act with respect when you’re in the White House, and when I see the way some of my people get treated at press conferences, it’s terrible. So we’re setting up a certain standard, which is what the court is requesting.”
CNN’s chief White House correspondent lost his credentials last week when he and Trump tangled verbally during a press conference. Acosta attempted to ask questions about the caravan of migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border and the Mueller investigation and initially refused to give up a handheld microphone to a White House intern. Trump responded then criticized Acosta, calling him a “rude, terrible person.”
The case returns to court on Monday.