00:00The Trump administration is standing behind its decision to strip CNN reporter Jim Acosta
00:04of the hard badge that allows him regular access to the White House.
00:08On Tuesday, CNN sued President Donald Trump, along with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders
00:12and General John Kelly, among others, alleging that the suspension of Acosta's press pass
00:17violates the First and Fifth Amendments.
00:20Meanwhile, the government has filed court papers in opposition to Acosta's bid to have his
00:23badge restored.
00:24In its complaint, CNN recounts what happened at last Wednesday's press conference when
00:28Acosta repeatedly asked questions, much to Trump's chagrin. The reporter subsequently had his
00:33badge revoked in what longtime White House correspondents say was an unprecedented move.
00:39The initial explanation from the White House was that Acosta's badge was revoked because he
00:42was being disrespectful, but more recently, Trump's staff indicated it wouldn't tolerate how
00:47he continued to ask questions, even upon the demand that he give up the microphone.
00:52However, CNN isn't convinced, telling a judge in the complaint that the punishment is
00:56the culmination of years of hostility by President Trump against CNN and Acosta, based on the
01:01contents of their reporting, an unabashed attempt to censor the press and exclude reporters from
01:05the White House who challenge and dispute the President's point of view.
01:10The White House is pushing back on this claim, with a brief filed by the Trump administration
01:13reading, in part,
01:15Acosta argues that the hard pass suspension puts his livelihood as a professional reporter
01:20at stake, while Trump's legal team downplays the harm.
01:26The case has been assigned to U.S.
01:27District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee, who will hear CNN's motion for a temporary
01:32restraining order this afternoon.
01:33Should Judge Kelly grant the TRO and restore Acosta's badge, the defendants say it would be an
01:39unprecedented and extraordinarily intrusive order that would require the President and Secret Service
01:45to grant on-demand access to the White House complex,
01:47and to the White House complex.
01:48Acosta argues that the hard pass suspension puts his livelihood as a professional reporter
01:51at stake, while Trump's legal team downplays the harm.
01:54The case has been assigned to U.S.
01:55District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee, who will hear CNN's motion for a temporary
01:58restraining order this afternoon.
01:59Should Judge Kelly grant the TRO and restore Acosta's badge, the defendants say it would be an
02:02extraordinarily intrusive order that would require the President and Secret Service to grant on-demand
02:07access to the White House complex, West Wing press offices, and other facilities in the
02:12President's official residence and personal office suite to someone he has decided to exclude.
02:16Meanwhile, rival network Fox News will file an amicus brief in support of CNN's lawsuit
02:21against the White House, with network President Jay Wallace saying in a statement,
02:25Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized.
02:30While we don't condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press,
02:34recent media reveals we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.
02:40To read more on this ongoing story, head to THR.com.
02:43For The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Lyndsey Rodrigues.
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