Fox News announces it's supporting CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration for revoking Jim Acosta's press pass
Michelle Mark
10h
The CNN journalist Jim Acosta.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
- Fox News announced on Wednesday that it would support CNN in the network's lawsuit against the Trump administration over the revocation of the White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials.
- The announcement was a stunning move for Fox News, whose on-air personalities have often criticized CNN and Acosta.
- Fox News President Jay Wallace accused the Trump administration of weaponizing press credentials and criticized both President Donald Trump and news outlets for adopting a "growing antagonistic tone" at recent press conferences.
Fox News has thrown its support behind CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration to win back the White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials in a stunning move for a cable news network whose on-air personalities have often criticized CNN and Acosta.
Fox News President Jay Wallace
said in a statement that the company would file an amicus brief — also known as a friend-of-the-court brief — with the US District Court in Washington, DC, in support of CNN.
Wallace also accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the press passes by depriving a CNN journalist of one.
"FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter's press credential," Wallace said in his statement, adding, "While we don't condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people."
In a statement on Wednesday morning, CNN
thanked Fox News for its support.
'Reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions'
President Donald Trump pointing at Acosta and accusing him of being "fake news."
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Several other media outlets have also filed amicus briefs in support of CNN, including The Associated Press, Bloomberg, First Look Media, Gannett, NBC News, The New York Times, Politico, USA Today, and The Washington Post,
according to The Times.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the news outlets said it was "imperative" that reporters have access to the president and not be "barred for arbitrary reasons."
"Whether the news of the day concerns national security, the economy, or the environment, reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions," the statement said, adding, "Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question this President, or any President."
CNN
filed its complaint on Tuesday, arguing that revoking Acosta's press pass violated the First Amendment right of freedom of the press and CNN and Acosta's Fifth Amendment right of due process.
"If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials," CNN
said in a statement about the complaint.
Read more:
CNN filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Trump administration for revoking Jim Acosta's press pass
The
Trump administration responded to the suit on Wednesday,
arguing that the First Amendment doesn't grant Acosta the right to enter the White House and that the Trump administration has "broad discretion" to revoke press credentials.
The dispute over Acosta's press pass came after a
combative exchange between Acosta and President Donald Trump at a press conference last week.
After arguing about Acosta's question about the migrant caravan traveling to the US, Trump called Acosta a "rude, terrible person."
A White House intern eventually attempted to grab the microphone from Acosta's hand, though he twisted away from her and held onto it.
Read Fox News' full statement:
"FOX News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter's press credential.
"We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized.
"While we don't condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people."
Harvey Galloway Malena, I have not watched the news (any news) in years....
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Malena Malone Gee Coy Liit that's a great site for doctor videos, you know just like the one Sarah Sanders put up a few days ago. Gee, I know Trump supporters are easily led but that's ridiculous.
You know, still, in all those videos I don't see anything about Democrats sending pipe bombs politicians Or democrats that are white supremacist running over a girl in Charlottesville Virginia do you?
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Janet Thomason OMG I DID WATCH FOX NEWS, BUT NO MORE IF THEY ARE STANDING BEHIND THIS POS. GOOD BYE FOX.
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Bob Flisser Fox understands that if this can happen to CNN it can happen to anyone.
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Laury Grijalva I love this... I love when Trump supporters get so mad
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Frank Hanna Fox News, You have made a mistake. It's a privilege to cover the White House not a right. Unforced error on your part, it will be costly!
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Vanessa Ruiz-Valles Frank Hanna freedom of press is not a privilege it is a RIGHT. Literally in the constitution
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Stephanie Cross Such total bullshit! Fox News is really pissing me off!!!
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Kathryn Derringer Underwood First time I’ve ever agreed with Fox News.
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Xaphyre Ansar But what you Cheeto whiners fail to see is that Fox and all the other Newspaper and TV News groups are doing is realizing that if this is allowed to stand unchallenged then soon ALL of them will be subject to autocratic rule instead of the Freedom of the Press guaranteed by our Constitution.
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Cindy Kay FOX will lose financially for taking this position on Acosta!!! I have almost completely stopped watching any Fox broadcasts, unless they are televising OU Sooners football! I am able to influence many people, and Fox has blatantly taken Democratic/Socialist spin to a new high thinking they can influence GOP voters to become turncoats. I noticed Fox was turning into the MSM biased to one world order ever since that Saudi Prince purchased a controlling interest. They changed slowly and sneakily, but changes were made!!!