‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

White House Says Access Is a 'Privilege' in Court Filing Defending Media Ban

52 points · 43 comments · whack

  1. dataflow · · focus · HN ↗
    I feel like this they're deliberately framing it this way to lay a trap for the courts, because accepting this framing doesn't really seem to leave a whole lot of legal wiggle room. After all, legally speaking, what is it exactly, if not a privilege? If it's a right, then basically any citizen should be allowed in, subject to fair/non-discriminatory constraints, like capacity... is/should that be the case? If it's neither then what is it?
    1. iAMkenough · · focus · HN ↗
      I’m curious how a Jan. 6 insurrectionist would answer this question.

      Any pardoned felons here?

    2. skinfaxi · · focus · HN ↗
      Courts navigate this fine line already even for their own courtrooms. There are restrictions on rights like time/place restrictions, for instance.
    3. bradleyjg · · focus · HN ↗
      > because accepting this framing doesn't really seem to leave a whole lot of legal wiggle room.

      No, it’s not a problem. The government can’t grant or withdraw a privilege for impermissible reasons.

    4. lovich · · focus · HN ↗
      I mean he blatantly said it was because of their reporting. That’s an in the nose first amendment violation. Full text of his ban announcement is below which was surprisingly hard to find between his firehose of shit in truth social and every media report about it only quoting fragments of sentences.

      > I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them “alive.” Seems like corruption to me!), from the White House as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS! Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

    5. 0cf8612b2e1e · · focus · HN ↗
      Some in the administration certainly are capable of 4D chess, but this event seems like the standard playbook: king got mad, and everyone is scrambling for a non-insane post hoc justification.

      Even some Fox News commentators have come out against it, because they do not want an illegal precedent where they could be barred from a Democratic administration.

      What is really incredible to me are the lifetime politicians who so quickly sacrifice their integrity to defend these actions. There are few cases that are so clear cut.

    6. expedition32 · · focus · HN ↗
      Do they not have press cards in America?
      1. xethos · · focus · HN ↗
        Does gating access behind a card not make it a privilege?
Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.