President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a news conference a day after the midterm elections on November 7, 2018 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. Republicans kept the Senate majority but lost control of the House to the Democrats. (Photo: Al Drago/Getty Images)
"The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process."
Accusing President Donald Trump of violating the First and Fifth Amendments by stripping press credentials from its chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, CNN on Tuesday sued Trump and several of his top aides and demanded "an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim."
"The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process," the network declared in a statement. "We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process. While the suit is specific to CNN and Acosta, this could have happened to anyone. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials."
CNN's suit comes just days after the Trump White House revoked Acosta's press credentials after he attempted to ask a question about the Russia probe during a heated and chaotic press conference last week. Defenders of free expression and members of the media denounced the president's move as a "clear attack on the First Amendment."
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Jake JohnsonJake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
Accusing President Donald Trump of violating the First and Fifth Amendments by stripping press credentials from its chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, CNN on Tuesday sued Trump and several of his top aides and demanded "an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim."
"The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process," the network declared in a statement. "We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process. While the suit is specific to CNN and Acosta, this could have happened to anyone. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials."
CNN's suit comes just days after the Trump White House revoked Acosta's press credentials after he attempted to ask a question about the Russia probe during a heated and chaotic press conference last week. Defenders of free expression and members of the media denounced the president's move as a "clear attack on the First Amendment."
