Various press organizations have decided to chime on the Trump administration's decision to revoke Jim Acosta's hard press pass on Wednesday night.
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) slammed the White House and encouraged them to reinstate Acosta's access in a statement:
The White House Correspondents' Association strongly objects to the Trump Administration's decision to use US Secret Service security credentials as a tool to punish a reporter with whom it has a difficult relationship. Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable
Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of the questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the President. Such interactions, however uncomfortable they may appear to be, help define the strength of our national institutions.
We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action.
We encourage anyone with doubts that this reaction was disproportionate to the perceived offense to the video of the events from earlier today.
The Reporters Committee For Freedom of the Press had a similar sentiment as the WHCA. Here's their press release:
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the nation’s premier defender of the legal rights of journalists, joins the White House Correspondents’ Association in vehemently objecting to the revocation of a CNN reporter’s access credentials. Journalists have a right to ask questions and seek answers on behalf of the American people.
This is clearly inappropriate and unprecedented punishment by the Trump administration for what it perceives as unfair coverage by the reporter, and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders’ false description of the events leading up to it is insulting not only to the nation’s journalists, but to its people.
The founders of our country knew there would be tension between our leaders and our journalists. In fact, they designed our system that way, knowing that a free and assertive press is the best defense against tyranny.
We urge the White House to reconsider this overreach of power and to reinstate Jim Acosta’s credential immediately.
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the Trump administration stands by their decision.
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