CNN Sues Trump for Suspending White House Reporter

“This is not a step we have taken lightly. But the White House action is unprecedented.”

Al Drago/ZUMA

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CNN has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and several White House aides, claiming that the decision to bar reporter Jim Acosta last week violated the First and Fifth Amendment rights. 

“This is not a step we have taken lightly,” CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a note to staff Tuesday morning. “But the White House action is unprecedented.” In a separate statement, the network said, “If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers out elected officials.”

The White House has been accused of using a doctored video to claim that Acosta inappropriately “placed his hands” on a female intern during a tense White House press conference last week in order to justify his suspension. On Sunday, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway challenged those allegations, asserting that the video was “not altered” but instead merely “sped up.”

The lawsuit seeks the immediate return of Acosta’s White House credentials. 

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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