FEDERAL JUDGE EXTENDS WHITE HOUSE ACCESS FOR BANNED NEWS OUTLETS

A federal judge has ordered the White House to continue granting access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico while their legal challenge against the Trump administration proceeds. District court judge Timothy Kelly issued the ruling on Tuesday, extending protections first granted through a temporary restraining order. The three outlets had been banned from the White House grounds on 18 September, after President Donald Trump cited their "constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS". They filed a lawsuit on 21 September, arguing the ban breached their constitutional rights. Kelly's order bars officials, other than Trump, from enforcing the revocation of the "hard pass" press credentials held by the affected journalists.

Kelly had granted the organisations a 14-day reprieve on 24 September through the restraining order, which expired on Tuesday. Its expiry brought lawyers for the media companies back to court last week to seek a preliminary injunction preserving their access while the case continues, a process the judge said could take months. Arguments were heard at the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, where Kelly told a lawyer for the federal government that the administration faced a "notice problem", calling it probably its biggest hurdle. The White House had given no advance warning before revoking the credentials.

The organisations have said White House press badges are essential to covering the administration from inside the building. Kelly's injunction preserves the access arrangement in place since 24 September, meaning CNN, MS NOW and Politico keep their credentials while the lawsuit proceeds. The judge indicated during arguments that he was inclined to lift the ban indefinitely pending its outcome. The case centres on claims that revoking the credentials breached constitutional protections for the press.