Washington DC [US], April 9 : The White House Correspondents Association expressed its support for the decision by a US federal judge on Tuesday (US local time) to call the White House's decision to eliminate the Associated Press's access to coverage of presidential events unconstitutional.
CNN reported that the preliminary injunction was issued Tuesday afternoon against the White House by Judge Trevor McFadden.
In a 41-page document issued by the US District Court for Columbia district, it was noted that the court "simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists--be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere--it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints."
Describing the background which led to the development seen now, the district court in its memorandum order mentioned, "About two months ago, President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. The Associated Press did not follow suit. For that editorial choice, the White House sharply curtailed the AP's access to coveted, tightly controlled media events with the President. The AP now sues the White House chief of staff, her communications deputy, and the press secretary (collectively, "the Government"), seeking a preliminary injunction enjoining the Government from excluding it because of its viewpoint."
CNN cited the judgement, which notably mentioned, "The Court merely declares that the AP's exclusion has been contrary to the First Amendment, and it enjoins the Government from continuing down that unlawful path,"
"We are gratified by the court's decision," Lauren Easton, a spokesperson for the AP, said in a statement as cited by CNN. "Today's ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the U.S. Constitution. We look forward to continuing to provide factual, nonpartisan and independent coverage of the White House for billions of people around the world."
Amid this background, the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) issued a statement on AP's ruling, which read, "The WHCA board applauds today's decision supporting our country's foundational ideal that the government should not be able to control the independent media that covers it. We are thrilled Associated Press reporters, photographers and video journalists are to be allowed back into presidential events from which they had been banned by the administration just for using words the White House did not like. This will allow the AP to continue producing fair, smart coverage of the presidency alongside the WHCA'S other members."
However, CNN reported that McFadden wrote that his ruling does not prevent the White House from limiting the AP's access to certain presidential events and spaces for "permissible reasons."
"The Court does not order the Government to grant the AP permanent access to the Oval Office, the East Room, or any other media event. It does not bestow special treatment upon the AP," he wrote. "But it cannot be treated worse than its peer wire services either."