According to CNN media reporter Brian Stetler, the Trump administration plans to revoke [1] Jim Acosta’s White House press credentials again after a restraining order imposed Friday by a federal judge expires.
The White House pulled Acosta’s credentials after a Nov. 7 news conference during which Donald Trump called the reporter a “rude, terrible person” when Acosta persisted in asking Trump a question about Russia.
In response, CNN filed a lawsuit the return of Acosta’s credentials. On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, granted the request and ordered Acosta’s pass restored while the rest of the case plays out.
Kelly said the White House had violated Acosta’s Fifth Amendment right to due process by suspending his press badge without explanation or a chance for CNN to appeal.
Stetler said in a post on Sunday that “White House officials sent Acosta a letter stating that his press pass is set to be suspended again once the restraining order expires.”
In response to the letter, CNN’s attorneys on Monday requested an emergency hearing on their motion for an injunction in the case. In the court filing, the lawyers attached the letter sent to Acosta on Friday from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine.
The letter says the White House made a “preliminary decision to suspend” Acosta’s “hard pass” due to his “conduct” at the Nov. 7 news conference.
According to the letter, Acosta violated “basic, widely understood practices” for presidential press conferences by refusing to surrender the microphone after his question was asked and answered.
The letter tells Acosta he had until 5 p.m. Sunday to submit a written response to the suspension. It says a final decision on his credentials would be made by 3 p.m. Monday.
“Of course, you will continue to maintain your hard pass while the Temporary Restraining Order issued on November 16, 2018, remains in effect,” the letter concludes.
Sanders said the White House plans to “further develop rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future.” With a more clearly defined code of conduct, the administration believes it will have better legal standing if it punishes a reporter for breaking the rules.
Here's the letter Bill Shine and Sarah Sanders sent to Jim Acosta explaining their intention to revoke his hard pass again after the temporary restraining order expires pic.twitter.com/xk8JOhu8wB [2]
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 19, 2018 [3]