BREAKING: Judge Rules For CNN in Lawsuit Against White House, Orders Jim Acosta’s Credential Be Restored
A Federal judge has ruled in favor of CNN in their legal battle with the White House, and has ordered that Jim Acosta‘s White House access be restored immediately.
Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered, on Friday, that Acosta’s “hard pass” be returned immediately. According to Buzzfeed reporter Paul McLeod, Kelly found that Acosta’s First Amendment rights superceded the White House’s right to hold orderly press conferences.
BIG: Judge Kelly rules Jim Acosta’s first amendment rights overrules the White House’s right to have orderly press conferences.
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) November 16, 2018
And here it is! Kelly says plaintiffs have shown likelihood fifth amendment rights were violated, and there is irreparable harm.
Judge Kelly orders the White House to reinstate Jim Acosta’s hard pass.
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) November 16, 2018
However, according to New York Times editor Jim Windolf, Kelly did not explicitly say Acosta’s First Amendment rights were violated.
“I want to emphasize the very limited nature of this ruling,” Judge Timothy J. Kelly said. “I have not determined that the First Amendment was violated here.”
— Jim Windolf (@jimwindolf) November 16, 2018
CNN filed their lawsuit on Tuesday after the White House pulled Acosta’s credential on Nov. 7, following his standoff with President Donald Trump at a news conference. Arguments in the case were heard on Wednesday.
Theodore Boutrous, an attorney representing CNN Boutrous, said in court Wednesday (according to CNN) that the White House revoking Acosta’s access is, “the definition of arbitrariness and capriciousness.”
“What are the standards?” Boutrous said. “Rudeness is not a standard. If it were no one could have gone to the press conference.”
Justice Department lawyer James Burnham, arguing on behalf of the White House, claimed that the White House has the legal right to revoke credentials for any reason.
A host of major media outlets including; Associated Press, NBC, The New York Times, the Washington Post, Bloomberg, Scripps, USA Today, and most notably, Fox News, have publicly supported CNN — and in some cases, filed friend of the court briefs on their behalf. Conservative network One America News came out Thursday in favor of the White House.
Watch above, via CNN.
