Originally posted Monday, November 19, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
The White House on Monday abruptly changed course, voluntarily restoring CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press pass again permanently.
On Friday, a federal court case forced the White House to give him his pass back for 14 days.
Over the weekend, the White House had signaled it would revoke his press pass again after those 14 days.
CNN plans to drop the lawsuit.
Though Acosta gets his pass again, the letter threatened that if he doesn't follow the proper rules, they could readdress the issue. One of the new rules: reporters can ask only one question at a time with discretion for follow-up questions. "Decorum," is how Donald Trump described it.
"If he misbehaves," said Trump in a Fox News interview over the weekend, clearly referring to Acosta, "we'll throw him out or we'll stop the news conference.”
The original lawsuit cited First Amendment (free speech) and Fifth Amendment (due process) issues.
Acosta parried with Trump during a post-midterm election press conference and refused to relinquish his microphone. Trump called him “rude” and his “hard pass” that gave him broad rights to enter and leave the White House was taken away from him soon after. CNN sued last week and won a temporary restraining order that forced the White House to give Acosta access again for 14 days. The Trump administration has accused Acosta of lacking decorum and showboating.
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