CNN, MS NOW and Politico Expand Lawsuit Over Oval Office and Air Force One Press Access

Status: Amended complaint filed; case ongoing. These are the outlets' allegations; the court has not ruled on the new claims.

What happened

CNN, MS NOW and Politico amended their lawsuit on Oct. 28 in federal court in Washington, D.C. (Reuters via Investing.com). They say they are still shut out of press-pool duties in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One, even after Judge Timothy Kelly restored their general White House access (CNBC). Kelly's orders since Sept. 24 did not cover those spaces, CNBC reports.

The outlets' claims

The outlets allege retaliation that violates the First and Fifth Amendments, and accuse the White House of "continued retaliatory and viewpoint-discriminatory deprivation" (CNN). The complaint says they do not claim an unlimited right of access, but "once the White House opens those spaces to selected journalists... the White House may not exclude Plaintiffs because it dislikes their coverage" (CNBC).

• CNN says it has been repeatedly barred as the TV pooler on Air Force One (CNBC).
• Politico says it was kept off two out-of-town print pool trips (CNBC).
• The filing says Trump has held 121 press events aboard or beside Air Force One and 138 in the Oval Office in his second term (CNBC).

The White House

"The Fake News has no place demanding a spot in the President's Oval Office," the White House said (Reuters).