This is chilling but unsurprising — punishing outlets for doing their job is an attack on the First Amendment and on our ability to hold power accountable. The White House cannot be allowed to play judge and censor: revoking credentials without notice or process is a blatant abuse of power and a dangerous precedent for silencing critical reporting. Good on CNN, MSNBC and Politico for taking this to court — courts and Congress need to make clear that the government doesn’t get to decide which journalism is “acceptable.” At the same time, independent media must keep pushing high standards and transparency. If we care about truth and democracy, we should all stand with a free press and resist any effort to intimidate or blacklist reporters.
