I expect CNN to win their lawsuit over the White House’s taking of Jim Acosta’s hard pass. CNN is being supported by other news organizations, even Fox News. Also, the White House is changing their story – their response said nothing about their allegation that Acosta hit the press aide.
The White House doesn’t get to choose which media members cover them. It’s that simple.
My latest on @cnn vs Trump: As judge prepares to rule in CNN-Acosta case, the White House issues its defense https://t.co/DLTQRx2axA
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) November 14, 2018
Fox News president @JayAWallace deserves a lot of credit for his statement supporting CNN's lawsuit. https://t.co/KISvhmMQwh pic.twitter.com/BbCcYYnzHk
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 14, 2018
Thirteen news outlets — from the AP to Fox, NBC to NYT — say they will be filing friend-of-the-court briefs to support CNN and Acosta. Others include Bloomberg, Scripps, USA Today, Bloomberg, First Look Media… pic.twitter.com/QRdxvgovIZ
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 14, 2018
Trump's DOJ is arguing in a court filing that he can limit journalists' access to White House. This seems like… a radical position. https://t.co/rTHnGq2FH0
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 14, 2018
Just in: @FoxNews plans to file friend-of-court brief supporting @CNN’s lawsuit against Trump Admin over revocation of @Acosta’s press credential. Statement: pic.twitter.com/uFVXtJD6XH
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) November 14, 2018
Just read through the Trump administration's new filing in the CNN lawsuit. Notably, in their 28-page memo to the court, they never accuse Jim @Acosta of "placing his hands on a young woman," like @PressSec claimed last week. Why not? For one, you can't lie to a federal judge.
— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) November 14, 2018
The WH filing argues CNN has nearly 50 people (incl cameramen, soundmen, other techs) w/permanent credentials, therefore its interests aren't harmed by Acosta ban.
News orgs will argue that's irrelevant, if the WH takes away their right to assign who reports from the WH.
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) November 14, 2018
New story up: Trump and @PressSec's changing stories on @Acosta could really hurt them in the CNN lawsuit.
"I can’t think of anything that is likely to lead to a victory for the White House,” famed First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams said. https://t.co/NeJ4zp33uU
— Jason Schwartz (@JasonSchwartz) November 14, 2018
"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." https://t.co/MXVAhkO233
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 14, 2018
Even Kellyanne Conway admitted it.
Trump said he didn’t know Whitaker. He does. Just another in an endless series of lies.
Trump does know Matt Whitaker, Kellyanne Conway says https://t.co/JTj5XVUjOZ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 11, 2018
Trump's Interference with Science is Unprecedented. via @TheAtlantic https://t.co/9CAEQMOuZH
— Michiko Kakutani (@michikokakutani) November 11, 2018
Now Trump lies and says he doesn’t know him. They sure didn’t do enough to vet his history and past comments.
“Intellectually honest conservatives… need to say this, loudly. His appointment represents an unprecedented assault on the integrity and reputation of the Justice Department, the advice and consent function of the Senate, and the rule of law in the United States.” https://t.co/cFv7q27IR3
— Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan) November 10, 2018
New acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was previously a dark-money-funded Clinton antagonist: https://t.co/iTlXUT5EPi pic.twitter.com/OG1WvdHvyz
— Slate (@Slate) November 9, 2018
Trump’s newly appointed Acting AG, Matthew Whitaker, while president of a nonprofit in 2016, exclusively hired contractors dominated by Republican operatives — one of whom became a top Treasury Dept official under Trump, I found: https://t.co/SteaHXdWw6 pic.twitter.com/8IoaxxD1Vw
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) November 9, 2018
Of note: He made the Oct. 11 comment while trashing a Wash Post story that he was considering replacing Sessions with Whitaker. https://t.co/MRW5soR70r
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) November 9, 2018
I agree with @neal_katyal that lots of folks have standing to get a judicial ruling that Whitaker’s installation as acting AG is unconstitutional. But I think the reasoning needs to include a few added steps to pass muster with a very conservative court. Not to worry: It’ll work. https://t.co/yDpwWe3JG0
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) November 9, 2018
"People close to the president said Mr. Whitaker first came to the attention of Mr. Trump because he liked watching Mr. Whitaker express skepticism about aspects of Mr. Mueller’s investigation on television."https://t.co/CnWjgxqUsX https://t.co/4GOSMlyj8i
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) November 9, 2018
Sen. Susan Collins: "I am concerned about comments that Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has made… I believe that we should bring to the Senate floor legislation that would put restrictions on the ability of President Donald Trump to fire the Special Counsel." pic.twitter.com/gmpxg40zDE
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 9, 2018
New: Facing interference from Whitaker, Mueller could turn to the courts. One route: Defy Whitaker directly & let a fed court decide whether Whitaker is Mueller’s legitimate boss. (Experts are skeptical that the courts would side with Trump on this one.) https://t.co/PV82eTZ3e9
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) November 9, 2018
The appointment of Whitaker as Acting AG, someone with a history of attacks on Mueller, is a transparent effort to interfere with the impartial administration of justice.
Take notice: We will expose any effort to obstruct justice, and people will be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/1hiIYqMBBk
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) November 9, 2018
Matthew Whitaker, the new acting US attorney general, has made his verified Twitter account private. https://t.co/qjI0ygmshC
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 9, 2018
As a Senate candidate, Whitaker said he could not support "secular" judicial nominees and that courts should be "inferior branch" https://t.co/Jfsnuv3dtC
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 9, 2018
CREW has filed an ethics complaint with the Justice Department demanding Matthew Whitaker's recusal. https://t.co/9IRixoXhGH
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 9, 2018
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein just called Matt Whitaker “a superb choice for attorney general,” saying Whitaker “certainly understands the work, understands the priorities of the department.” Then I asked him if he’s worried at all about the Mueller probe. He walked off.
— Mike Levine (@MLevineReports) November 9, 2018
NEW, with @samstein: Sen. Richard Blumenthal confirms he's considering suing over Matt Whitaker's appointment as acting AG https://t.co/YcS1gXXglq
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) November 9, 2018
There is literally audio and video of Trump saying he knows Matt Whitaker last month. Today, he says he does not know him. https://t.co/nFSixOba2l
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) November 9, 2018
NEW… Justice Department officials trash Matt Whitaker, their new boss: "he’s a fucking fool." https://t.co/5LYCG1CtPI
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) November 9, 2018
Acting AG Whitaker's hostility to the Special Counsel’s investigation disqualifies him from overseeing Robert Mueller. We are leading 18 state attorneys general in calling on Whitaker to recuse himself immediately. #ProtectMueller pic.twitter.com/G7vzxSEbcl
— Maura Healey (@MassAGO) November 8, 2018
Today, Trump said: "I don't know Matt Whitaker."
In a Fox and Friends interview a month ago, Trump said: "I know Matt Whitaker."
(Via @JustinFishelABC) pic.twitter.com/aZHLqz6dMu
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 9, 2018
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) November 9, 2018
Good riddance!
Linda McMahon & her husband were the biggest outside donors to @realdonaldtrump's troubled foundation, giving $5M from '07-'09. That was only $600K less than Trump's own total giving to his foundation, over 25 yrs. McMahons have not given a reason for the gifts. https://t.co/jFGbs3e5Jj
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) November 9, 2018
How do you spell grifter? W-I-L-B-U-R R-O-S-S. My column: https://t.co/sNWBEzDeYt via @bopinion
— Joe Nocera (@opinion_joe) November 8, 2018
New Details About Wilbur Ross’ Business Point To Pattern Of Grifting 2) https://t.co/OnoCVbs3wF
— Tracie (@traciemac_Bmore) November 9, 2018
Senate Democrats demanded information concerning what they said were possible ethics violations by Wilbur Ross, asking the department’s top ethics official to provide details on meetings Ross had with officials in whose companies he had investmentshttps://t.co/4GiE3Ttwrw
— POLITICO (@politico) November 9, 2018
The Democratic House will perform the oversight the Republican House has failed to do. It would be smart for Zinke to leave now before even more of his shady dealings are exposed.
White House officials say Zinke is the most problematic to Congressional oversight. Some more details on his dealings with donors, extensive vacations w/@eilperin & @Reinlwapo: https://t.co/eOa3YCXRyf
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) November 9, 2018
This is a good reason to re-post @Reinlwapo's fantastic story about Zinke's special flag, which he requires Interior Department staff to raise and lower when he enters and exits the building.https://t.co/ehULwQ1V2m https://t.co/LOjQZ3w4Ts
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) November 8, 2018
Just months ago, Zinke offered himself as a possible replacement for an ethically embattled Cabinet member, then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. Now, he's the one facing the ax.https://t.co/QdN2rAVeHj
— POLITICO (@politico) November 9, 2018
Report: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reached out to Fox News about "contributor" role https://t.co/FxGcCXD25m
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) November 8, 2018
Now Democrats will have oversight over the Trump grifters.
How do you spell grifter? W-I-L-B-U-R R-O-S-S. My column: https://t.co/sNWBEzDeYt via @bopinion
— Joe Nocera (@opinion_joe) November 8, 2018
We obtained 1,800 pages of Wilbur Ross’ calendar from 2017, which detail meetings he had with steel, rail, sugar, and energy industry insiders as well as groups with ties to WL Ross & Co. See what we found: https://t.co/1Gna9T4lLh
— American Oversight (@weareoversight) November 6, 2018
Wilbur Ross is accused of distorting an expert's view on adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census https://t.co/4S4p2gOr8Z
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) November 8, 2018
1. Wilbur Ross held stock the manufacturing firm Greenbrier
2. As Commerce Secretary, he met with the firm’s CEO
3. Ross’ spokesperson said Greenbrier didn’t have business in front of the Commerce Dept.
4. Documents suggest they did…https://t.co/FXYS6hJwr1— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) November 8, 2018
Chief on its list is Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue https://t.co/CYRcEweX6I
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) November 8, 2018
In case what's missing from your life is a long post from the Lawfare team about the Sessions firing and the rise of Matt Whitaker… https://t.co/afnpDS0SHF
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) November 8, 2018
And here is future United States Attorney General Matthew Whitaker promoting advances in hot tub design for scammers World Patent Marketing: pic.twitter.com/M9i2u2l4ww
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 7, 2018
NEW: Whitaker ran interference for Sessions in 2017 when Sessions took heat over Kislyak conversations https://t.co/C1EbycItsw
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) November 8, 2018
Trump's new acting AG said Clinton should've faced prosecution in email probe @CNNPolitics https://t.co/AGdHSgQAZ4
— David P Gelles (@gelles) November 7, 2018
The Whitaker-Clovis journey: both lost Iowa GOP primary; Whitaker chaired Clovis's Treasurer race; Clovis lost again; Clovis became co-chair of Trump's campaign, unqualified USDA pick, Mueller witness; Whitaker criticized Mueller, got hired at DOJ, became attorney general.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 8, 2018
NYT: "Whitaker first came to the attention of Mr. Trump because he liked watching Mr. Whitaker express skepticism about aspects of Mr. Mueller’s investigation on television." He was hired as Sessions's COS very shortly after this public Mueller criticism. https://t.co/a4RUZ2nqhx
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 8, 2018
NEW: Trump's acting attorney general was a board member of Miami Beach-based company World Patent Marketing, which the FTC called a scam and shut down https://t.co/XjMkkHJmjP
— Brittany Shammas (@britsham) November 7, 2018
Bad news for the Mueller investigation. Whitaker has been critical of Mueller.
Democrats call for Sessions’s successor to recuse himself from Russia probe https://t.co/dQ2dxfAVuJ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 7, 2018
An acting AG can serve for 210 days, though that can be extended if a person is nominated to permanently fill the vacancy and there are some other caveats as well. @tedbarrettcnn
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 7, 2018
Matthew Whitaker in July 2017 lamented how "the Russians are funding the DNC and helping Hillary Clinton — no one's advancing that."https://t.co/hTQdxMyFtG pic.twitter.com/aVnUJiXs5R
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 7, 2018
Here's the new acting Attorney General in July 2017 defending Don Jr.'s decision to take the Trump Tower meeting with Russians offering "dirt" on Hillary Clinton: "You would always take that meeting."(via CNN) pic.twitter.com/qFAhnhSSJK
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 7, 2018
Insight on the Sessions firing, nearly instant as usual, by @NatashaBertrand, including:
“Trump’s move could still backfire…. Sessions may now find himself both more vulnerable and more inclined to cooperate with Mueller…”https://t.co/e4PPcxEBwP
— David Priess (@DavidPriess) November 7, 2018
Whaddaya know: Mark Whitaker, now in charge of the Mueller investigation, chaired the 2014 campaign of Sam Clovis, a grand jury witness in that investigation. https://t.co/NzUkgjwOp1
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) November 7, 2018
Less than a day after the Democratic House takeover might have tempted you to relax a bit, Trump immediately reminded us that he's still a dangerous authoritarian who emboldens white nationalists and is prepared to burn it all down to save himself:https://t.co/XW5mULlAZ3
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) November 7, 2018
Really would have been nice if Congress had passed the bipartisan bill to protect the Mueller Investigation
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) November 7, 2018
Some more Whitaker criticism of the Mueller team, this one based on a Fox News report that cited an anonymous source. https://t.co/p3yCn0VXn5
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 7, 2018
Ohhhhhkkkkayyyyy https://t.co/uet5sENPLF
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) November 7, 2018
It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions’ firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) November 7, 2018
Hours after the polls closed:
1. Trump fired Jeff Sessions
2. Removed Rosenstein from overseeing the Russia investigation
3. Installed Matt Whitaker to replace Sessions and oversee the Russia investigation. Whitaker has publicly stated that Mueller has exceeded his authority
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) November 7, 2018
NEW via @PostRoz @mattzap @CarolLeonnig: Sessions’s ouster throws future of special counsel probe into question https://t.co/VyJ4oS8OnI
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) November 7, 2018
This is the article in which Whitaker said the investigation was crossing a red line if he looked into Trump's finances: https://t.co/kgWk9KlAMM
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) November 7, 2018
Rosenstein is no longer overseeing the Mueller probe. Acting AG Matt Whitaker has control, per DOJ. https://t.co/TMryDKQNRB
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) November 7, 2018
A TWEET FOR THE AGES https://t.co/zNWGeuPQ66
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) November 7, 2018
The next two months are a time of peril for the Mueller investigation.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 7, 2018
Rosenstein will remain in his role as deputy attorney general, but Whitaker will take over supervising special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation https://t.co/V3fyhhPfwM pic.twitter.com/oAjCyw2Np7
— POLITICO (@politico) November 7, 2018
Matt Whitaker last year on Trump Tower meeting:
“You would always take the meeting."https://t.co/T0aR8XvVmk
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 7, 2018
THREAD: What should we make of Trump’s firing of Jeff Sessions? https://t.co/jQ9uyzxNO2
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) November 7, 2018
Schumer: “Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 7, 2018
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: "We would hope, if there's a constitutional crisis, that our Republican colleagues would join us in thwarting the president from creating that crisis." https://t.co/V3R9YdpAUU
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 7, 2018
What a corrupt administration!
.@SecretaryZinke has sought out friendship and campaign donations from rich Montanans, including #Halliburton chief David Lesar, to whom he donated parking for a $90 million devt in Whitefish https://t.co/uSYQmT8ito
— Lisa Rein (@Reinlwapo) November 20, 2018
This is getting ridiculous.https://t.co/iwMeteE93V pic.twitter.com/uiMRAV2SKf
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) November 6, 2018
NEW: Emails obtained by the Post suggest Zinke engaged in family foundation business in 2017, after pledging to recuse himself from the group for one year after being confirmed: https://t.co/tk93ZSt7CQ
— Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) November 5, 2018
Donald Trump offered less-than-effusive praise Monday for embattled Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, while saying he might not “be happy” with the outcomes of the investigations into Zinke’s behavior https://t.co/fMV9CvCqMH
— POLITICO (@politico) November 5, 2018
When Donald Trump took office and we said he was filling his administration with white supremacists, many of the very serious people in the media guffawed and protested. Unfortunately, none of it was an exaggeration. https://t.co/luOBPFODQ6
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) October 31, 2018
Zinke charged taxpayers for a ridiculously expensive door and insisted a flag be flown overhead when he was in the building. He interfered with the IG who investigated his financial misconduct. Now he’s received a criminal referral to DOJ. Why hasn’t Trump fired him? https://t.co/7fz5SauO85
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) October 31, 2018
there are a million weird DC stories. not many weirder than this one. https://t.co/gEaeNTSjAd
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) November 6, 2018
Sad!