Judge says Trump didn't give partial press ban due process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYj9xbpLOfI

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, ruling that the news organizations were likely denied due process when their press credentials were revoked.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the outlets’ access to the White House grounds. The temporary restraining order is set to remain in effect for 14 days while the legal challenge continues.

Trump Announced the Ban Last Week

Trump announced the ban on Sept. 18, accusing the three organizations of publishing what he described as “fake news.”

The following day, reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were turned away from the White House, and their credentials were confiscated or deactivated. The outlets subsequently filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that the administration had retaliated against them because of the content of their reporting.

The White House has defended the decision, arguing that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a constitutional right. Administration lawyers also argued that the outlets had violated standards of professionalism and raised national-security concerns through some of their reporting.

Judge Questions the Process

Kelly's ruling focused in part on how the administration removed the journalists' access.

The judge found that the outlets had made a strong case that they were deprived of their press credentials without the process required by law. He also said they were likely to suffer irreparable harm if the restrictions remained in place while the lawsuit proceeded.

The judge's decision does not represent a final ruling on the broader First Amendment lawsuit. The case will continue as the court considers whether the administration's actions were constitutional.

A Larger Fight Over Press Access

The dispute is part of a broader confrontation between the Trump administration and news organizations over access to the president.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico argued that excluding reporters based on unfavorable coverage amounts to viewpoint discrimination. The White House has rejected that characterization and maintains that the restrictions were based on the outlets' conduct and reporting.

The White House Correspondents' Association and other media organizations have also criticized the ban, saying journalists must be able to independently scrutinize government officials regardless of whether those officials approve of their coverage.

Access Was Still Being Challenged

Even after Kelly issued the order, reporters from CNN and Politico reported that they were still denied entry to the White House grounds later Thursday. Reuters also reported that MS NOW journalists were barred.

That development could lead to another confrontation over whether the administration has complied with the court's temporary order.

For now, Kelly's ruling restores the three organizations' access while the legal battle continues — setting up another court fight over the relationship between the White House and the press.

Source: CBS Mornings