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Huge twist after judge lifted Trump’s ban on CNN and Politico from the White House
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The Trump Administration doesn't seem to be budging, following a judge's order to immediately restore access to the White House for banned outlets.
Under the new order, which was issued early Thursday (September 23), CNN, MS NOW, and Politico must now have their access restored for 14 days, after it was ruled that the move "likely violated their constitutional due process rights".
However, CNN and Politico journalists have now claimed that they are still being denied access to the White House despite a judge's orders.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly heavily supported the three news outlets that were banned by Trump, ruling today that journalists should have their press credentials reinstated so they could enter the White House and report on the 80-year-old President.
Despite the ruling coming in this morning, CNN and Politico reporters would reportedly be turned away from the White House later on.
What happened at The White House today?
As per TMZ, the Politico reporter in question claims his press credentials were confiscated by the Secret Service.
CNN reporter Betsy Klein and a photojournalist were also denied access with no reason given, while it has widely been reported that MS NOW also remains barred.
Despite a 14-day restraining order while the outlets’ legal challenge of the ban proceeds, the administration was told to "return, reinstate, and restore" the reporters' credentials.
It remains unknown when the reporters will have their White House access restored.
The news outlets affected have now requested an emergency hearing in a court filing, as reported by the Washington Post.
Higher-ups at Politico penned an email that they would take the problem to court if the ruling isn't respected, writing: "Our White House team has not yet been allowed to re-enter the complex, so we will pursue further legal remedies to regain access to the White House if necessary."
CNN also revealed that while Klein and one photojournalist were denied access to the White House grounds around 6 AM Eastern Time, another producer was able to enter.
Klein admitted that the situation 'may take a little bit of time to process', describing it as 'fluid' after the ruling was made early this morning.
MS NOW White House reporter Laura Barrón-López and a producer had their passes confiscated by the Secret Service, though a different producer was granted access.
The reporter said that while her pass was taken, it wasn't clear if it was to defy the court or due to 'some kind of incompetence or lag in the system.'
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The Judge's ruling
The judge had stated: "Simply put - the record lacks factual support for Defendants’ contention that the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the Court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds," per CNBC.
Judge Kelly also wrote: “The ‘general rule’ is that ‘individuals must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the Government deprives them’ of a constitutionally protected interest."
“The Court is skeptical — at least on this record — that Defendants’ interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes,” Kelly said.
He said that public interest arguments favored the news organizations, avoiding the argument of national security for the White House.
“Certainly, that is not what President Trump said when he announced that he was ‘banning’ Plaintiffs from the White House — instead, he focused on the alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity of Plaintiffs’ reporting,” the judge added.