The US Justice Department urged a federal judge to reject a request by CNN, MS NOW and Politico for a longer court order that would prevent President Donald Trump from banning their journalists from the White House.
In a court filing on Friday night, lawyers for the administration, citing previous cases, argued that Trump had a right as well as a duty to enforce “minimum standards” for journalists for the purpose of “safeguarding national security information.”
“The president’s actions are lawful under the First Amendment,” the Justice Department said in court papers, adding that the plaintiffs had not made “the requisite showing of irreparable harm and both the public interest and balance of the equities favor the government.”
Press access was restored for the affected journalists in late September after US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary order that expires on Oct. 8. CNN, MS NOW and Politico are now seeking a preliminary injunction that would allow their reporters to continue working at the White House while the court battle over their lawsuit proceeds.
Kelly has scheduled a hearing Oct. 8.
Trump announced the ban in a Sept. 18 social media post, citing what he described as unfavorable coverage of his administration. In letters sent to the news organizations four days later, the government accused them of publishing false information about national security issues as well as publishing classified information.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued, accusing Trump of violating the First Amendment and their right to due process under the Fifth Amendment, by failing to provide clear standards for the decision or the opportunity to contest the ban.
The case is Cable News Network v. Trump, 26-cv-3287, US District Court, District of Columbia .
With assistance from John Harney.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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