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Associated Press and trump The administration appeared before a federal appeals court on Monday in its fight over media access, with the AP arguing that a news outlet should not be penalized for its viewpoint and white House Emphasizing that the President should determine who can question him Oval Office,
AP sues three Trump administration officials, including White House press secretary Caroline LevittIn February its journalists were banned from the “pool” of journalists who closely follow the president. It said the administration’s action was in response to an institutional decision by the AP to continue using the term “Gulf of Mexico” as its default style after Trump changed its name to “U.S. Gulf.”
The case bounced through federal district court throughout the year and most recently into federal appellate court.
AP Executive Editor Julie Pace wrote in an op-ed article Monday morning that the question of access is not just about the AP; It’s about people having access to a government that works for them.
“When we talk about freedom of the press, we’re really talking about your freedom. Reporters ask questions, photographers take pictures, and video journalists record history on your behalf to make sure you’re informed about things you didn’t have time to find out, see, or learn about,” Pace wrote.
Pace wrote, “Letting the government control which journalists can cover the nation’s highest office and setting rules about what those journalists can say or write is a direct attempt to undermine the First Amendment.” “This should concern us all.”
The Trump administration says it is up to the White House, not the press, to decide access to areas where space is limited. The White House Correspondents’ Association has been deciding who is in the press pool since the Eisenhower administration. The White House reestablished that tradition in February, saying it wanted to expand access to include other news outlets.
“If the AP is suggesting that the White House does not have the authority to limit who can engage in newsgathering activities in sensitive areas of the White House, it is legally incorrect,” the administration said in its support brief.
A lower court ruled this spring that the government can’t retaliate against a news organization for its speech, but an appeals court blocked any comment on the decision pending an appeal.
AP Shelly also recommends accepting Trump’s renaming of the Gulf. The president said the AP’s access would be restricted until it changed its style.
Nearly four dozen press organizations and news outlets ranging from ProPublica to Fox News Channel, along with The New York Times and The Washington The Post filed a brief in support of the AP.
The outlets said, “When any news outlet is shut down… the press and the public suffer, no matter how many reporters or cameras are in the room.”
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David Bauder covers media for The Associated Press.