Trump administration does not have to allow The Associated Press access yet, judge rules
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A federal judge on Monday declined to issue a temporary restraining order against the White House for denying The Associated Press full access in covering the administration, asking for a fuller briefing before making a decision.
The AP was barred indefinitely from the Oval Office and Air Force One because of its refusal to change its style on the Gulf of Mexico after President Donald Trump renamed it the “Gulf of America.” The wire service has accused Trump administration officials of violating its First Amendment protections by refusing access.
Judge Trevor McFadden told the court there were several reasons he denied the temporary restraining order. He noted there was a difference in the issues of this case and case law presented by both parties.
He also questioned the amount of irreparable harm the AP would suffer as the news outlet can get access to the same information whether or not they’re in the room where it happened, he argued.
Charles Tobin, attorney for the Associated Press, argued that there are elements to be reported that cannot be seen on a television screen and necessitate a journalist being in the room.
“We’re not arguing the president has to answer the Associated Press’ questions,” Charles Tobin said, but access “cannot be denied without due process.”
The judge said he was not inclined to “act precipitously" with regard to the executive office of the president.
The AP also waited 10 days to file their case, McFadden noted.
“I can’t say the AP has shown a likelihood of success here,” the judge said.
In a statement following the ruling, AP spokesperson Lauren Easton said the agency looks forward to its next hearing on March 20, "where we will continue to stand for the right of the press and the public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a fundamental American freedom.”
U.S. Attorney Brian Hudak argued that the case was about whether the president could decide who has access to him. No one, he said, has "special access right."
“If tomorrow the White House decides to abolish the White House press pool, they can do that,” Hudak said. “I don’t think that offends the Constitution.”
Trump signed an executive order on the day of his inauguration renaming the body of water the "Gulf of America," but the AP said that it will refer to it "by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen."
Trump defended the ban on AP journalists at a news conference in Florida last week, directly referring to the outlet's choice about what to call the Gulf.
"I just say we're going to keep them out until such time that they agree it's the Gulf of America," Trump said.
He also criticized the outlet's coverage of him, the election and the Republican Party. Trump said that the AP has done him and the GOP no favors, "and I guess I'm not doing them any favors."
The First Amendment says that Congress shall pass no law "abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."
The AP filed suit accusing the government of retaliating against press freedom, specifically naming White House chief of staff Susan Wiles, deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich and press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“This targeted attack on the AP’s editorial independence and ability to gather and report the news strikes at the very core of the First Amendment,” the news agency said. “This court should remedy it immediately.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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Having access to the President is a privilege not a right.
Thumbing one's nose at him is a mistake.
Trump yet again shows he is a petty little man.
The AP remains free to attack the President to their heart's content.
They aren't attacking him, they just refuse to support his lies. That's what this boils down to. It's the same reason the right wing hates Fauci so much, he refused to support trump's lies. PERIOD.
They are free to. Get it? No one is censoring the AP.
They refused to call the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of America. Reasonable since Trump can only rename it from the USA perspective. The AP's position is to use the common, established name and note that the USA calls this the Gulf of America.
Trump through a tantrum because they would not let him (gratuitously) rename the Gulf of Mexico for the planet. We have a petulant man-child occupying the presidency.
AP redefines usage for political purposes all the time. .
Trump threw a tantrum. How proud we must all be to have a buffoon gratuitously try to rename the Gulf of Mexico and then ban the AP from the White House because they will not submit to his pointless wishes.
Yes
Most Americans have more important things on their mind than to worry about it.
Then why are you bothering to comment? This seed is about Trump's pissy actions against the AP merely because of the Gulf of Mexico renaming nonsense. So it makes sense that you will see comments on this topic.
Apparently Trump thinks this is a big deal and you are here defending that.
Because I chose to. Are there certain rules about opining and commenting?
Yes, and I agreed it was a tantrum
There you go again, conflating a comment about Americans not really giving a shit about something you think they should with supporting it.
It's sad that calling trump out for lying is seen as attacking him... WOW.
It's an interesting power play.
It's a trivial issue, to be sure, but the bigger chess game here surrounds the office of the POTUS re-exerting control over press access that many people have taken for granted and, frankly, abused.
Let's understand that if you can tell who someone voted for when they're reporting the news, they're not a journalist anymore.
The AP has been among the least egregious offenders, so picking this fight over a trivial issue like "Gulf of America" has a better chance of setting rules for future engagements in a less charged environment. So when the more serious fight comes later with CNN or MSNBC, they'll know what tools they can actually use.