A federal judge judged Tuesday that the White House Can not bar Associated Press journalists and photographers of Oval officeAir Force One and other closely controlled spaces where a handful of other media are admitted to cover President Donald Trump.
District Court judge Trevor McFadden declared that the blocking by the White House of journalists AP of these secure spaces after the metal service has refused to adopt its change of name in the Gulf of Mexico is “contrary to the first amendment” of the American constitution.
McFadden, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, paused Preliminary order order Oblige the White House to restore access to journalists AP to take effect until Sunday.
THE delay Give the White House to call on its decision, which was published in the American district court in Washington, DC, after the AP continued To regain its access.
The White House in mid-February “suddenly slowed down” access to the metal service to media events with Trump after having summarily renamed the Gulf of Mexico.Gulf of America,“And the AP did not adopt this change by covering stories related to this body of water, noted McFadden in its decision.
The AP in January said that he would refer to the Gulf of Mexico “” by his original name while recognizing the new name that Trump has chosen. As a global press agency that disseminates news in the world, the AP must ensure that names and geography are easily recognizable by all audiences. “”
THE After Stylebookwhich provides guidelines for editorial style, spelling and terminology, is used by many media, including CNBC. The articles and photographs of the service are used by many of these same points of sale and others.
“The court does not order the government to grant permanent access to the oval office, in the East Room or any other media event,” wrote McFadden in his order.
“He does not grant a special treatment at the AP. Indeed, the AP is not necessarily entitled to access to the permanent press pool” First in Lowed each time “that she appreciated under the WHCA (Association of White House correspondents)”, wrote the judge.
“The court simply argues that under the first amendment, if the government opens its doors to certain journalists – whether at the Oval Office, in the East Hall, or elsewhere – it cannot close these doors to other journalists because of their views,” McFadden wrote.
“The Constitution requires no less,” wrote the judge.
The decision comes almost five years after the Washington Federal Court of Appeal, DC confirmed a lower court decision that blocked the White House secretary to the suspension of Brian Karem’s press titles, correspondent for Playboy magazine, for confrontation with Trump Ally Sebastian Gorka in 2019.
In 2018, a district court prevented the White House from dismissing the press of the CNN correspondent at the time, Jim Acosta, for having immediately refused to produce a microphone after asking Trump and obtained no answer.
AP journalists and photographers have long been part of the press basin for small and very selected journalists who attend most of the White House events in the Oval Office and other small spaces and travel with the President.
Julie Pace, editor -in -chief of the AP, in a Op-Ed du Wall Street Journal Published on March 26, wrote: “For anyone who thinks that the trial of the Associated Press against the White House of President Trump concerns the name of a body of water, think bigger.”
“It is really about knowing whether the government can control what you are saying,” Pace wrote.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comments on McFadden’s decision on Tuesday.
AP spokesperson Lauren Easton said in a statement, “we are satisfied with the court’s decision”.
“Today’s decision affirms the fundamental right of the press and the public to speak freely without reprisals from the government,” said Easton. “This is guaranteed freedom for all Americans of the American Constitution.”
“We look forward to continuing to provide factual, non-partisan and independent coverage of the White House for billions of people around the world,” she said.
The Knight First Amendment Institute of Columbia University filed two legal memories supporting the AP trial. The first brief argued that the prohibition of the AP had violated the first amendment because it discriminated against the wired service on the basis of discrimination known as from the point of view, which occurs when a government takes measures against a speaker because of the opinions they express.
McFadden’s ordinance cited the second memory of the Knight First Amendment Institute, which addresses the historical basis of the prohibition of discrimination from the point of view.
“This is an important decision,” said Katie Fallow, director of assistant disputes at the Institute.
“The first amendment means that the White House cannot prohibit the media from covering the president simply because they do not see his favorite language,” said Fallow.
