White House restores CNN journalist’s credentials

The White House said Monday it restored in full the media credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, ending a contentious legal battle, but also warned that he may be ejected again if he fails to abide by new rules being implemented for media events with the US president. CNN said it was dropping its lawsuit on Acosta's access, a case that raised concerns over constitutional rights for the press. "Today the @WhiteHouse fully restored @Acosta's press pass," CNN said on Twitter. "As a result, our lawsuit is no longer necessary. We look forward to continuing to cover the White House."

The White House said it also issued new rules that call for journalists to "ask a single question" and then "yield the floor." Follow-up questions will only be taken "at the discretion of the president or other White House official." "We have created these rules with a degree of regret,"

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

“We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms... But, given the position taken by CNN, we now feel obligated to replace previously shared practices with explicit rules.”

Sanders added that “a more elaborate and comprehensive set of rules might need to be devised” for interactions with the president outside the White House, but that it is holding back for now “in the hope that professional journalistic norms will suffice to regulate conduct in those places.”

Acosta returned to the White House on Friday following a court order from a judge hearing CNN’s lawsuit alleging that Acosta’s ejection after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump violated constitutional free press guarantees.

In last week’s order, US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the White House must readmit Acosta because it failed to give the journalist “due process” while reserving judgment on questions of press freedom and constitutional rights.

 

White House restores CNN journalists credentials

The White House said Monday it restored in full the media credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, ending a contentious legal battle, but also warned that he may be ejected again if he fails to abide by new rules being implemented for media events with the US president. CNN said it was dropping its lawsuit on Acostas access, a case that raised concerns over constitutional rights for the press. Today the @WhiteHouse fully restored @Acostas press pass, CNN said on Twitter. As a result, our lawsuit is no longer necessary. We look forward to continuing to cover the White House. The White House said it also issued new rules that call for journalists to ask a single question and then yield the floor. Follow-up questions will only be taken at the discretion of the president or other White House official. We have created these rules with a degree of regret, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms... But, given the position taken by CNN, we now feel obligated to replace previously shared practices with explicit rules. Sanders added that a more elaborate and comprehensive set of rules might need to be devised for interactions with the president outside the White House, but that it is holding back for now in the hope that professional journalistic norms will suffice to regulate conduct in those places. Acosta returned to the White House on Friday following a court order from a judge hearing CNNs lawsuit alleging that Acostas ejection after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump violated constitutional free press guarantees. In last weeks order, US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the White House must readmit Acosta because it failed to give the journalist due process while reserving judgment on questions of press freedom and constitutional rights.