White House imposes new rules on reporters’ credentials, raising concerns about access

[CaptQuint]

The White House has implemented new rules that it says will cut down on the number of journalists that hold “hard” passes, the credentials that allow reporters and technicians to enter the grounds without seeking daily permission.

The new policy has been met with some confusion and even worry among journalists, some of whom suspect that the ultimate aim is to keep critics in the press away from the White House and President Trump.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders explicitly denied that, saying the changes were prompted by security concerns, not to punish journalists. “No one’s access is being limited,” she said Wednesday night.

Under procedures announced in March and implemented over the past few weeks, journalists will qualify to renew their hard passes only if they have entered the White House grounds at least 50 percent of the time in the 180 days before renewal, effectively once every other day. If they fall short of this, their hard passes will not be renewed.

A nonrenewal doesn’t preclude journalists from entering the White House entirely, but it does subject them to a more cumbersome process. Without a hard pass, they must apply each time they want access on a daily, weekly or six-month basis. Hard passes are valid for two years.

Sanders said the new measures were prompted by the U.S. Secret Service’s concern about the proliferation of hard passes, particularly over the past three years. It’s unclear exactly how many journalists hold hard passes, but White House officials say there could be as many as a thousand in existence.

Some of the confusion about the new policy seems to be a result of the White House’s policy of making exceptions to the 50 percent rule.

In its March notice, the White House said it will exempt “senior journalists” who don’t meet the new standard but who are “nonetheless consistently engaged in covering the White House.” It also said the press secretary could grant exemptions for “special circumstances,” such as maternity leave.

The White House hasn’t spelled out how it will make these decisions, raising concerns about arbitrary or selective decisions. (The Washington Post’s seven White House reporters have all been granted exemptions).

The White House last year revoked the hard pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta after Acosta engaged in a heated exchange with Trump during a White House news briefing. After a brief legal fight, a federal court ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s access. The court said Acosta’s due-process rights had been violated because the White House had never established rules and procedures for revoking a credential.

But Sanders said the new policy was unrelated to Acosta’s case. Acosta continues to hold a hard pass.

In an opinion piece published Wednesday, Post columnist Dana Milbank wrote that he was denied a hard pass, although the paper’s reporters who cover the White House were all granted exemptions. “The White House press office granted exceptions to the [others], but not to me,” he wrote. “I strongly suspect it’s because I’m a Trump critic. The move is perfectly in line with Trump’s banning of certain news organizations, including The Post, from his campaign events, and his threats to revoke White House credentials of journalists he doesn’t like.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association, which represents journalists on access issues, was consulted about the new policy, according to Sanders. The organization’s president, Olivier Knox, declined to comment.

It’s also not clear whether the White House is accurately counting the number of days that reporters enter the grounds. One journalist said she received an email notifying her that she had met the standard and that she had been granted renewal of her hard pass — despite the fact that she has been to the White House only a few times over the past year.

In any case, the 50 percent rule has become increasingly impractical for many reporters because of other press restrictions imposed by the White House. Sanders, for example, has held only two formal news briefings since the start of the year, including a record stretch of 59 days without a briefing as of Thursday.

Trump and Sanders continue to hold unscheduled “gaggles” on the White House grounds, but the disappearance of the briefing has led many reporters to work away from the White House.

Reporters from accredited news organizations submit an application for a hard pass along with a letter from a senior editor vouching for them.

[CaptQuint]

The 50 percent rule has become increasingly impractical for many reporters because of other press restrictions imposed by the White House. Sanders for example has held only two formal news briefings since the start of the year including a record stretch of 59 days without a briefing as of Thursday.

So they want reporters to be on the White House grounds 50% of the time over the past 180 days, yet they're not holding regular press briefings. This will definitely be used to revoke hard passes for reporters they don't like while granting exemptions for reporters they like.
Yet another example of Republicans setting up the system up for failure. They create the problem that leads them to make a decision saying something needs to be done away with, and their example is the problem they created.

[Charliesheen]

Child’s play. Your Messiah set the gold standard for shutting up critics of his administration. Look it up.

[CaptQuint]

Child’s play. Your Messiah set the gold standard for shutting up critics of his administration. Look it up.

Yeah, and he backed down real fucking quick after getting pushed back from all the media. I don't see Cheeto Mussolini and Herr Sarah Borrman doing that.

[beagleboy]

Prosecuting journalists, spying on them, sieving their personal property and intimidating them at airports - Obama was king.

Obama used the Espionage Act on more journalists than all other Presidents combined. And of course Dems loved him for it but NOW they are outraged.

It wasn't long ago that the rally cry against Assange was that he wasn't a real journalist so his reporting was a crime.

[CaptQuint]

BUT BUT BUT OBAMA!!! Let's not address the shitshow that is effecting the freedom of the press right now

[Wut]

Prosecuting journalists, spying on them, sieving their personal property and intimidating them at airports - Obama was king.

Obama used the Espionage Act on more journalists than all other Presidents combined. And of course Dems loved him for it but NOW they are outraged.

It wasn't long ago that the rally cry against Assange was that he wasn't a real journalist so his reporting was a crime.

Obama used it ion one instance against someone leaking info on Iran and another on someone leaking on North Korea and inherited two prosecutions from Bush. He wasn't the tyrant you're making him out to be.

Trump, on the other hand, is just a pussy boy who can't handle being challenged.

[Charliesheen]

BUT BUT BUT OBAMA!!! Let's not address the shitshow that is effecting the freedom of the press right now

The press' impartiality is doing more damage than Drumpf.

[CaptQuint]

BUT BUT BUT OBAMA!!! Let's not address the shitshow that is effecting the freedom of the press right now

The press' impartiality is doing more damage than Drumpf.

Complete horseshit

[Charliesheen]

You think selective leaks between the deep-state and democrat media operatives is a good thing.

Got it.

Half the country wants the president it elected to serve his term.

[CHEEZY17]

Journalists often, especially the most biased ones, unfortunately think they're doing the lords work. Slanted or judgmental reporting is now so common it basically goes unnoticed by those in the bubble or, worse, its encouraged and rewarded. The days of keeping opinions out of stories and investigations are now long gone. Now, entire organizations take pride in their tribal journalistic endeavors. Us good them bad. And it's all fed to a willing audience searching for confirmation of their own views.

This is, undeniably, damaging.

[CaptQuint]

lol attacks on the 1st amendment, 45% of Americans want impeachment. National debt at record high and "Art of the deal" Donnie two scoops is being laughed at by Iran and North Korea. Nobody takes The President of The United States seriously because he cannot go 12 hours without lying to his own countrymen.

It's not just the banning of reporters. It's a lot worse than that. Trump's presidency has been a non-stop attack on journalists and media from the get-go. Banning reporters is just the latest in a long line of unprecedented actions between the white house and the press.

Trump claims the first amendment gives reporters too much freedom
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-first-a ... .2bon1s6ec

Trump says he'll remove protections from reporters for printing negative things.


Trump refers to the media as enemies of the American people
https://www.dailywire.com/news/13606/tr ... en-shapiro

Trump, as president, calls for a media host to be fired for calling Trump a white supremacist.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politi ... te-n801136

Trump wants NBC license revoked after they reported on him wanting nuclear arsenal increased



Trump calls on the Senate Intelligence Community to investigate established media.


Refused to do anything about a journalist being murdered.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/20/politics ... index.html

Tried to keep 60 Minutes from airing the Stormy Daniels interview
https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/ ... iew-172320