Six New Yorkers sue Trump to protect public access to news
A federal lawsuit argues that banning reporters from the White House violates the First Amendment rights of everyday citizens who rely on independent coverage.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
Six residents of New York filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against President Donald Trump and three senior aides. The plaintiffs argue that the administration's media bans deprive the general public of independent news coverage.
The complaint was filed in federal district court in New York. It names Trump, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, communications director Steven Cheung, and Secret Service director Sean M. Curran as defendants. The suit seeks a broad injunction to stop the administration from punishing news outlets for critical reporting.
The plaintiffs include Kenneth Roth, a Yale lecturer and former executive director of Human Rights Watch. Daniel Froomkin, a political journalist, is also named in the suit. Beverly Gage, a Yale history professor, and Peter Schmidt-Nowara, a high school civics teacher in New York, are two of the other plaintiffs. Benjamin Wittes, editor-in-chief of Lawfare, and Ethan Young, a student journalist at the University of Pennsylvania, round out the group.
These individuals say they depend on the White House press corps to do their jobs. Roth uses press reports for his public writing. Gage relies on coverage for her scholarship. Schmidt-Nowara teaches civics and needs independent reporting for his students. Wittes says his publication depends on accurate coverage of the president. Young relies on reporters to serve as his proxy for understanding Washington policy.
The lawsuit states that the First Amendment protects the public's right to know what its government is doing. Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute, said the White House cannot decide what information Americans receive by punishing critical reporting. The Knight First Amendment Institute filed the suit alongside the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School.
The complaint notes that other news organizations are already in court over similar access issues. CNN, MSNBC, and Politico are suing after their journalists were banned from the White House in September. A federal judge extended an order preventing the White House from enforcing that ban while the case proceeds. CNN also faces issues with its video pool coverage.
The Associated Press is in a separate legal dispute. Its reporters were barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One last year. The AP decided not to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, following the president's lead. The New York Times is litigating over a Pentagon policy that requires escorts for journalists. ABC is fighting over the renewal of its broadcast licenses.
This new lawsuit differs from previous cases because the plaintiffs are citizens rather than news organizations. The suit argues that the policy restricts a limited public forum based on viewpoint. It seeks a declaration that the policy is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs also want a court order barring the defendants from enforcing the retaliation policy.
The White House responded to the lawsuit in a statement. An unidentified official said no person may demand access to the Oval Office. The statement added that media outlets peddling misinformation are capable of reporting from outside the building.
Schmidt-Nowara said he joined the lawsuit because his students deserve to know what is happening in their government. Young said the effect of federal policy changes is felt on college campuses. He relies on the press corps to understand decisions made in Washington and how they impact his community.
