Lawyers for the Trump administration are actively contesting efforts by CNN, MSNBC, and Politico to block the White House from enforcing future press access bans. In its legal response, the Justice Department (DOJ) has shifted its argument, asserting that the three news organizations failed to adhere to basic “standards of professionalism.”
White House Invokes ‘Professionalism’ to Defend Media Ban in Court
Does ‘professionalism’ even have a legal definition here? I’d love to see the judge’s take on such a vague standard.
Interesting pivot from ‘security’ to ‘etiquette.’ The DOJ is trying to frame this as a breach of conduct rather than censorship.
I’m genuinely confused. How do you quantify professionalism for a news organization? This feels like a slippery slope for press freedom.
Professionality standards in court? Sounds like a creative legal fiction to justify political retaliation against critical press.