The cable news network announced on Wednesday that it plans to file an amicus brief in support of a CNN-launched lawsuit. The move illustrates a circling of wagons among major media outlets as the Trump administration continues to portray news organizations as “enemies of the people.” </s> In a show of solidarity, major U.S. media outlets are backing the CNN’s legal fight against the White House for revoking the ‘hard pass’ of Jim Acosta.

CNN said it had asked the court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass to be returned to Acosta and would seek permanent relief as part of the process.

The White House Correspondents Association had also said that it “strongly supports” the suit against the Trump’s administration.

‘Hard pass’ gives holders expanded access to the White House complex.

Acosta’s pass was suspended last week after he sparred with Trump during a press conference.

Fox News, which anchors and shows are generally supportive of President Donald Trump and his policies, has filed a “friend of the court” brief in federal court in support of CNN’s lawsuit.

Fox News President Jay Wallace said Wednesday that the network would file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Wallace said in a statement: “Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponised.

“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.”

CBS News also announced in a statement that it would be filing an amicus brief in support of CNN, saying it supports the White House Correspondents Association and CNN’s legal fight to restore Acosta’s access.

“We do not believe that revoking White House press credentials is an appropriate remedy for a disagreement the White House may have with a particular reporter.

“We intend to file a friend of the court brief in support of CNN’s lawsuit to defend its constitutional rights,” CBS News said in the statement.

A group of other news organisations, including Fox News, NBC News, the New York Times, the Washington Post and two wire services – AP and Bloomberg – also said they would file a joint amicus brief in support of CNN.

The law firm, Ballard Spahr, issued a statement on behalf of The Associated Press; Bloomberg L.P.; First Look Media Works, Inc.; FOX News; Gannett; National Press Club Journalism Institute; NBC News; The New York Times Co.; POLITICO; Press Freedom Defense Fund; E.W. Scripps Company; USA TODAY NETWORK; and The Washington Post.

“Whether the news of the day concerns national security, the economy, or the environment, reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions.

“It is imperative that independent journalists have access to the President and his activities, and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons,” the statement read.

The White House has filed its memo of opposition against CNN and Acosta’s lawsuit ahead of Wednesday’s hearing, arguing that the First Amendment did not guarantee access to the White House.

In a 23-page memo, the White House argued: “The president and his staff have absolute discretion over which journalists they grant interviews to, as well as over which journalists they acknowledge at press events.

“That broad discretion necessarily includes discretion over which journalists receive on-demand access to the White House grounds and special access during White House travel for the purpose of asking questions of the President or his staff.

“No journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House and the [resident need not survive First Amendment scrutiny whenever he exercises his discretion to deny an individual journalist one of the many hundreds of passes granting on-demand access to the White House complex”.

The White House memo also claimed that Acosta was given sufficient notice about the suspension of his credentials, adding Acosta “received notice of the reasons for his pass’s revocation the night it happened and again the next day”.

The White House had said last week that Acosta’s ‘hard pass’ was suspended because he refused to give up a microphone to a White House intern who tried to take it away from him during the press conference.

The White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders accused Acosta of placing his hands on the intern and distributed a video of the incident.

Sanders called the lawsuit “just more grandstanding from CNN”.

Trump told the Daily Caller on Wednesday that “Jim Acosta is just somebody who gets up and grandstands, he doesn’t even know what he’s asking you half of the time”.

The president added that he thought reporters like Acosta were “bad for the country”. (NAN) </s> Fox News is supporting CNN’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over the White House’s revocation of Jim Acosta’s press pass and plans to file an amicus brief in the case, according to a statement from the network’s president Jay Wallace.

“FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential. We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized. 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.”

 Show less

 Twelve other news organizations also announced they would be joining Fox in filing an amicus brief in support of CNN. </s> 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 issued a statement Wednesday that said his division will file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court that backs the lawsuit filed by CNN against President Trump and other administration officials over 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 joint statement. “Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question the President, or any president.”

Norman Pearlstine, executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, said in a statement: “The Los Angeles Times supports the effort of CNN and Jim Acosta to have his access to White House press briefings fully restored. We plan to join with the other media organizations in filing an amicus brief in the lawsuit brought by CNN. We are committed to upholding free and fair access for journalists covering the White House.”

CNN’s suit filed Tuesday says the suspension of Acosta’s credentials violates the 1st 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 5th Amendment’s protection of due process and the federal Administrative Procedures Act.

The lawsuit escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the AT&T-owned cable news outlet, which has been aggressive in its coverage of him and his administration. Trump frequently accuses CNN of disseminating “fake news” when he is angered by its reporting.

Trump’s criticisms of CNN are often echoed by Fox News prime-time star Sean Hannity, who is the president’s most voluble supporter on the channel.

9:45 a.m.: This article was updated with other news organizations filing amicus briefs on behalf of CNN.

This article was originally published at 8:50 a.m. </s> Fox News joined a number of media outlets on Wednesday in announcing that they would back rival CNN’s lawsuit against the Trump administration.

Fox News President Jay Wallace said in a statement that the network intends to file an amicus brief with a U.S. District Court in the lawsuit.

CNN filed suit against the White House on Tuesday seeking the return of correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credentials, which were revoked last week after a testy exchange with President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump awards Medal of Valor, civilian honors to responders in Dayton and El Paso shootings Texas Democrats unveil 'path to victory' plan for 2020 The Hill's 12:30 Report: Congress returns with gun violence, funding atop agenda MORE during a press conference.

“FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential. We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. 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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

NBC News, The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Gannett, The New York Times, Politico, USA Today, The Washington Post and other outlets also plan to file briefs supporting CNN's lawsuit, according to a release from Ballard Spahr LLP, a law firm representing the outlets.

“Whether the news of the day concerns national security, the economy, or the environment, reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions,” the news outlets said in a joint statement released by the firm.

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

CNN has argued that the Trump administration violated Acosta's First and Fifth Amendment rights of free speech and due process. The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and is being overseen by Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, who scheduled a hearing in the case for Wednesday.

The White House dismissed CNN's lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the network of “grandstanding." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Acosta “is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment."

The White House has argued that it was justified in suspending Acosta's hard pass after he did not allow a White House intern to take the microphone from him during a press conference when Trump cut him off after he asked several questions about the migrant caravan and federal probe into Russia's election interference.

“After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions — each of which the President answered — he physically refused to surrender the White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions,” Sanders said in a statement Tuesday.

--Updated at 11:43 a.m. </s> Fox News has joined several news outlets and the White House Correspondents’ Association in support of CNN’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump over the revocation of reporter Jim Acosta’s White House pass.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Fox News president Jay Wallace said, “FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential. We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized.”

“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,” Wallace added.

The Hill reported that CNN argued in its case filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday that Acosta’s First and Fifth Amendment rights to freedom of speech and the press and due process under the law have been violated.

“NBC News, The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Gannett, The New York Times, Politico, USA Today, The Washington Post and other outlets also plan to file briefs supporting CNN’s lawsuit, according to a release from Ballard Spahr LLP, a law firm representing the outlets,” The Hill reported.

TRENDING: Here Are 12 Potential Trump Nominees for the Newly Vacated Attorney General Position

The news outlets said in a joint statement released by the firm, “It is imperative that independent journalists have access to the President and his activities, and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons.”

The Justice Department filed a brief in response to the CNN suit on Wednesday, contending, “No journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House.”

“The president and White House possess the same broad discretion to regulate access to the White House for journalists (and other members of the public) that they possess to select which journalists receive interviews, or which journalists they acknowledge at press conferences,” DOJ lawyers said in the court filing.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders responded to CNN’s lawsuit, saying in a statement, “CNN, who has nearly 50 additional hard pass holders, and Mr. Acosta is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment.

“After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions—each of which the President answered—he physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions. This was not the first time this reporter has inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters.

“The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional,” Sanders said. “The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business.”

White House Correspondents’ Association President Oliver Knox said, “Revoking access to the White House complex amounted to a disproportionate reaction to the events of last Wednesday.”

Veteran Washington journalist Chris Wallace said on Fox News last week that Acosta is guilty of being a “showboat” and rude to his fellow reporters by asking repeated questions and refusing to surrender the microphone; however, the Fox News Sunday host went on to argue that the White House should not have pulled his pass.

Wallace noted that CNN stood in solidarity with Fox, when the Obama administration, early in its tenure, tried to freeze out FNC from covering certain events.

Regarding Acosta’s performance last Wednesday, Wallace, who prior to coming to Fox in 2003 worked for both NBC News and ABC News, said, “You know I covered the White House for six years during the Ronald Reagan years, and along with Sam Donaldson, I think we were pretty tough, persistent aggressive reporters, but we never did anything like was Jim Acosta did yesterday. I think he embarrassed himself.”

“He was disrespectful to his colleagues in asking repeated questions, making it harder for them to get in a question,” the Fox News personality stated. “Jim Acosta strikes me more as a showboat, rather than he’d like to get answers to questions.”

Dana Perino — a former White House press secretary during the George W. Bush administration — responded, “I know that a lot of Jim Acosta’s colleagues are frustrated with him.” She observed that the Bush White House never dealt with a reporter acting in the manner Acosta has and questioned how his conduct furthers the mission of gathering the news.

Nonetheless, Perino did find pulling his pass “disproportionate” to his offense.

Wallace wondered in light of Acosta’s repeated behavior along these lines since Trump took office, “What do the bosses at CNN see as their mission? In this particular case is it to cover the news or to make a scene?”

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards. </s> Fox News, US President Donald Trump's favorite news network, announced Wednesday that it will back CNN in its lawsuit against the Trump administration for having revoked reporter Jim Acosta's White House press pass.

Fox News said in a statement that it plans to file an amicus brief in the case, a figure that allows third parties to express their support for one of the sides. </s> A group of CNN’s competitors, including Fox News, joined together to support CNN and Jim Acosta in their lawsuit against the White House seeking to regain Acosta’s press access there.

Fox News President Jay Wallace said in a statement that while the network doesn’t “condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press,” it does, however, “support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.” Wallace also said Fox would file a brief in support of CNN’s suit in federal court in Washington.

Despite rumblings that some of Acosta’s fellow reporters did not particularly like or appreciate his confrontational made-for-TV approach to dealing with the president during press conferences and media availabilities, a broad swath of media organizations have stood behind Acosta and CNN to oppose the nearly unprecedented revoking of access based plainly on the fact that the White House didn’t like a reporter.

The White House, meanwhile, argued in a brief that its sanctions for Acosta were “viewpoint- and content-neutral” and “are evident from the video of the November 7 press conference.” The White House had initially claimed that it had banned Acosta because he had placed “his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern.”

When this explanation was almost universally rejected (despite an altered video shared by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders), the White House said in a subsequent statement Tuesday that Acosta “inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters” and had “physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions.”

While Trump’s base of support has continued to be riled up in anger against CNN, the media has not taken the bait. Everyone from the news-wire services to the owner of the Intercept signed on to a joint statement in support of CNN, saying, “Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question this President, or any president.” </s> MIAMI (CBSMiami) — CBS News has joined the fight against the White House for revoking a CNN reporter’s media pass.

Jim Acosta’s “hard pass,” which gives holders expanded access to the White House complex, was suspended last week, hours after he sparred with President Trump in press conference.

CNN took its access battle against the Trump administration to court on Tuesday, demanding the reinstatement of Acosta’s White House credentials because their revocation violates the right of freedom of the press.

CBS News announced it will file an amicus brief in support of CNN, saying in a statement it supports the White House Correspondents Association and CNN’s legal fight to restore Acosta’s access.

“We do not believe that revoking White House press credentials is an appropriate remedy for a disagreement the White House may have with a particular reporter,” CBS News’ statement said. “We intend to file a friend of the court brief in support of CNN’s lawsuit to defend its constitutional rights.”

Fox News also filed a ‘friend of the court’ brief in federal court in support of CNN’s lawsuit against the Trump administration saying Secret Service passes for working White House journalists “should never be weaponized. 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.”

WATCH THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE BETWEEN JIM ACOSTA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP

President Trump’s administration contends it has “broad discretion” to regulate press access to the White House and said it “was lawful” to punish Acosta for his behavior.

CNN says it has asked the court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Acosta and will seek permanent relief as part of this process. The White House Correspondents Association has said that it “strongly supports” the suit.

Acosta’s access to the White House was purportedly suspended because he refused to give up a microphone to a White House intern who reached over and tried to take it away from him during the press conference. The White House accused Acosta of placing his hands on the young woman and distributed a video of the incident that several analysts concluded was doctored and had the effect of exaggerating the moment of contact.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called the lawsuit “just more grandstanding from CNN.” Although the White House initially said it was revoking Acosta’s hard pass because he laid hands on an intern, Sanders’ new statement said he “physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern.” Sanders also said that the new justification for the removal of his pass was that he did not yield to other reporters for questions.

Other news organizations also joining the fight against the White House include NBC News, the New York Times, the Washington Post and two wire services – AP and Bloomberg, among others.
Several media organizations file amicus briefs in support of CNN.