The U.S. Secret Service finds itself intertwined in a CNN lawsuit against the Trump administration that claims the White House is violating the First Amendment rights of one of its prominent journalists, Jim Acosta.
The lawsuit lists as defendants the protective agency, its director, Randolph Alles, and a Secret Service agent, under the alias of “John Doe,” for having blocked Acosta’s access to the White House grounds.
The suit claims an unnamed USSS officer “refused to let Acosta enter the White House grounds” the evening after a heated standoff between himself and the president at a White House press conference last week. It also claims the officer told Acosta “to surrender his hard pass,” which the reporter willingly handed over before thanking the officer for his service.
The USSS did not respond to multiple inquires about how they plan to respond to lawsuit and if there was anything particularly unique about Acosta’s case. The Washington Examiner was referred to the White House for comment.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders put out an official statement Wednesday that argued CNN already has 50 White House press credentialed pass holders and that excluding Acosta is proper.
“CNN, who has nearly 50 additional hard pass holders, and Mr. Acosta is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment,” Sanders said. “After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions — each of which the President answered — he physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions. This was not the first time this reporter has inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters.”
“The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional,” Sanders said. “The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business.”
Acosta’s pass was revoked and indefinitely suspended last week following a heated exchange with President Trump at a press conference in the East Room. After Acosta asked the president his first question, the president tried to move on to another reporter. Acosta refused to give the microphone to a White House intern tasked with distributing the microphone to reporters, which sparked media controversy and ultimately Acosta’s press badge being suspended.
There is definitely no love between the White House and Acosta, after nearly two years of emotionally charged rhetorical exchanges between the reporter and administration officials. Acosta has routinely sparred in front of a live television audience with the president, Sanders, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and other top aides, like Stephen Miller.
“Media spin aside, Acosta is a bore and a bully who is not exactly beloved by other members of the [press] corps,” one senior administration official told the Washington Examiner.
