A federal judge ruled in favor of CNN and White House correspondent Jim Acosta Friday; temporarily restoring the reporter’s press pass as the Trump administration weighs further legal action.
“I will grant the application for the temporary restraining order I order the [government] reinstate the pass,” U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly ruled from Washington.
Judge Kelly heard detailed arguments from both CNN and White House attorneys following the abrupt removal of Acosta’s press credentials; ultimately ruling the Trump administration was violating the journalist’s First and Fifth Amendment rights.
“We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days. Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press,” said a statement from CNN.
Read the full report at Fox News.
ACOSTA DENIED: White House ‘Suspends’ Jim Acosta’s Press Pass ‘Until Further Notice’
CNN’s senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta had his press pass “suspended” Wednesday after a fiery exchange with President Trump during a post-midterm briefing, reports Fox News.
“I’ve just been denied entrance to the WH,” Acosta tweeted Wednesday. “Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit.”
I’ve just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018
Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the move in a written statement, saying his credentials were revoked after “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern,” adding the behavior was “absolutely unacceptable.”
“This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter’s colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history,” she added.
FIREWORKS: Huckabee Sanders GOES NUCLEAR on CNN’s Jim Acosta
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders unloaded on CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta on Monday, getting into a heated exchange over recent anti-Trump stories that were “purposely misleading the American people.”
“I would just say Sarah, that journalists make honest mistakes, and that doesn’t make them fake news,” Acosta told Sanders during the daily White House Press Briefing.
“There’s a very big difference between making an honest mistake and purposely misleading the American people.”
“When journalists make honest mistakes, they should own up to them,” fired back Sanders. “There’s a very big difference between making an honest mistake and purposely misleading the American people; something that happens regularly.”
“You cannot say that it’s an honest mistake when you’re purposely putting out information that you know to be false or when you’re taking information that hasn’t been validated, that hasn’t been offered any credibility, and that has been continually denied by multiple people including people with direct knowledge of an incident,” she added.
“I’m speaking about a number of reports that have taken place over the last couple of weeks, I’m simply stating that there should be a certain level of responsibility in that process,” said the Press Secretary. “Jim, I’m going to say once and for all that I’m moving on… And I’m not taking another question from you at this point.”
Watch Sanders shred Acosta below: