Acosta Wins! But Not Much...

On November 15, 2018 Federal judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump Administration to immediately return White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, in response to an action regarding his revoked credentials.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, ironically an appointee of President Donald Trump, made a the decision in favor of CNN's Jim Acosta who disgraced himself badgering the President in his residence, The White House!  Judge Kelly said Acosta's credential must be reinstated, to allow him access to the White House for press conferences and events.

There was no admonition that Acosta had to abide by the rules of one question, and a follow-up, per turn unless the President continued the conversation or that Acosta abide by normal decorum, all of which would crab Acosta's act of getting in Trump's face as "the suits" of CNN think it brings viewers for their network.  Perhaps that is why they are on the bottom of every rating panel.

Jim Acosta is CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent and returned that afternoon to gloat over his victory. The White House is developing new rules for orderly press conferences, but they have only to enforce the existing rules to quench the Acosta act.  Mr. Trump needs no new rules to squash Acosta:  He can just ignore him which means Acosta will jump up and be arrested as a "public nuissance."

CNN alleged Acosta’s First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated when the White House revoked his “hard pass" in spite of a video tape showing that he was clearly badgering the President.

The judge did not rule on the whole case. He only ordered Acosta’s pass returned, but said CNN was likely to prevail on its Fifth Amendment claim that Acosta hadn’t received sufficient notice before his credentials were revoked. The judge further said the government could not say who initially decided to revoke Acosta’s hard pass and how that decision was reached while anyone watching could see that is was the President!

These latter two points have no bearing on the fact Jim Acosta was behaving obnoxiously intentionally to garner attention.  The judge failed to recognize the setting is the President's residence, or abide the long shadow of the Magna Carta of 1215 AD, his "castle," or that our law is  based on that tradition.

The White House declared reasons for revoking Acosta’s credentials in a tweet from Sara Sanders and in a statement after CNN filed the lawsuit. But the judge said, "those belated efforts were hardly sufficient to satisfy due process.”

Why would a new Federal Judge, appointed by President Trump take such positions and perform such actions?  This is only another measure of  the depth of "the swamp" or the power of the forces of darkness in Washington, DC.  This judge has been told whose side to take if he plans on remaining in place as Mr. Trump will be there no more than two years if they prevail as the Democrats are feeling empowered since the mid-terms plus they are "forever" and should be regarded as the real power in Washington, DC.

Friday afternoon, 60 members of the White House press corps greeted Acosta as he strode through the northwest gate of the presidential compound. He said he was grateful for the judge’s ruling, that it was a test and the media passed the test.

“This is just any other day at the White House for me and I would like to get back to work,” he said.

Trump has made his dislike of CNN clear since before he took office and continuing into his presidency. He has described the network as “fake news” both on Twitter and in public comments.

At last week’s press conference, Trump was taking questions from reporters and called on Acosta, who asked about Trump’s statements about a caravan of migrants making its way to the U.S.-Mexico border. After a terse exchange, Trump told Acosta, “That’s enough,” several times while calling on another reporter.

Acosta attempted to ask another question about special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation and initially declined to give up a handheld microphone to a White House intern. Trump responded to Acosta by saying he wasn’t concerned about the investigation, calling it a “hoax,” and then criticized Acosta, calling him a “rude, terrible person.”

Hours later, the White House pulled Acosta’s credentials. The White House’s explanations for why it seized Acosta’s credentials have shifted over the past week.

Sanders initially explained the decision by accusing Acosta of making improper physical contact with the intern seeking to grab the microphone as he did not defer to her as acting in official capacity.

On Tuesday, Sanders accused Acosta in a written statement of being unprofessional by dominating the questioning at the news conference. We feel Mrs. Sanders criticisms are valid and Jim Acosta is doing his profession great harm in trying to be Sam Donaldson of this century. At least Donaldson asked appropriate questions to which there were factual answers and not those only about feelings, fears and fantasies.

Adrian Vance