Judge extends block on White House ban of CNN, MS NOW, Politico
A federal judge on Thursday extended his order that keeps CNN, MS NOW and Politico in the White House press pool through Tuesday. Judge Timothy Kelly said he will rule by then on a longer injunction. He questioned the Justice Department's national-security defense of the ban.
Three news outlets kept their White House credentials for at least a few more days.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly on Thursday extended a temporary restraining order that blocks the Trump administration from barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House press pool. The order had been set to expire Thursday night. Kelly said it would run another two business days, through Tuesday. He is still deciding on a longer injunction, the Washington Examiner and Associated Press reported.
The outlets sued after President Trump moved to cut them from the pool last month, calling their reporting "fake news." Kelly, a Trump appointee, had already restored their access in September on due-process grounds. On Thursday he pressed Justice Department lawyers. He asked why their security rationale did not match Trump's public comments about negative coverage.
Kelly said he intended to rule by Tuesday, and possibly sooner, on the longer injunction. Until then, reporters from the three outlets keep access to the White House grounds. The outlets' lawyers also complained that Politico and CNN have still been kept off some Air Force One trips even while the temporary order is in place.
The fight sits at the center of how the White House press corps works. Pool duty rotates among outlets that cover the president day to day. A ban on three national desks ripples into coverage for every newspaper and station that relies on the pool.
How this fits: Kelly's first temporary order last month said the outlets likely were denied notice and a chance to respond before losing credentials. Thursday's hearing was the first full argument on whether that relief should last through the case.
What we know: The temporary block runs through Tuesday, and a longer ruling is due by then.
What we don't: Whether Kelly will grant a preliminary injunction, and whether travel-pool disputes will be folded into that order.
Where outlets agree The Associated Press and CBS News both report that Judge Kelly extended the order keeping White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico through Tuesday.
Where they differ POLITICO says Kelly appeared to be leaning toward a longer injunction, while the Washington Examiner says he is still weighing one.