CNN, MSNOW and Politico ask court to make Trump access order permanent

A federal judge has already found that the White House likely violated the Constitution by shutting CNN, MS NOW and Politico out of the press pool, and the three outlets now want that conclusion made permanent. In an amended complaint filed Wednesday, they argue the administration is still ignoring Judge Timothy Kelly's orders, since their reporters remain unable to cover President Donald Trump in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One. Their attorney, Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. , said those are the settings where the president most often takes questions from the press, according to PBS NewsHour.

The outlets contend that Trump is penalizing them over coverage he dislikes, which they describe as viewpoint discrimination barred by the First Amendment. They warn that any news organization could face similar treatment, leaving the public with a less complete picture of its government.

About two weeks ago, Kelly found the outlets likely to prevail. He extended an earlier finding on Fifth Amendment due process and, on Oct. 13, agreed that the ban infringed free speech. He dismissed the idea that national security or other policy aims drove the decision, concluding instead that Trump acted because he considered the reporting biased and inaccurate.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →