Even Fox News is defending CNN after Trump's First Amendment attack
Fox News will file a brief in support of CNN’s lawsuit against the Trump White House.
Trump’s primary propaganda outlet, Fox News, is siding with CNN after the White House’s recent attacks on the free press.
“Fox News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential,” a statement from Fox News President Jay Wallace says. “We intend to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court. Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized,” he added.
Last week, the White House revoked the press credentials of CNN’s Jim Acosta after a terse exchange with Trump at a press conference. The White House initially accused Acosta of assaulting an intern who attempted to grab the microphone away from him.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders, who has a long history of being a liar, then tweeted out a doctored video, altered to make Acosta’s actions appear violent.
In response to the White House’s actions, CNN filed a lawsuit to allow Acosta to regain access to the White House so he can do his job as CNN’s chief White House correspondent.
While the programming on Fox News has largely followed the lead of the propaganda coming from the White House, including calling Acosta “unhinged,” the leaders at the network are now siding with CNN.
“While we don’t condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the President and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people,” Wallace said in his statement.
Fox News is not alone, as the Associated Press, Bloomberg, Gannett, NBC, the New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, and other outlets released the following joint statement:
Whether the news of the day concerns national security, the economy, or the environment, reporters covering the White House must remain free to ask questions. It is imperative that independent journalists have access to the President and his activities, and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons. Our news organizations support the fundamental constitutional right to question this President, or any President. We will be filing friend-of-the-court briefs to support CNN’s and Jim Acosta’s lawsuit based on these principles.
Fox News stands apart, as it has a long history of flattering coverage of the Trump administration. Before the midterm elections, prominent Fox News personality Sean Hannity went on stage and campaigned with Trump at a partisan political rally.
Trump often retreats to Fox News when he is looking for a softball interview venue.
Yet now, even his own propaganda outlet is siding with the First Amendment, and against the authoritarian impulses of Trump and his minions.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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