According to reports, an individual from the White House Press Corps has filed a discrimination lawsuit against White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, charging they improperly canceled his press pass.
In his suit, the African columnist Simon Ateba contends that the White House’s rule for revoking press access abuses The US Constitution’s First and Fifth Amendments. President Biden’s White House declared a new rule in May that allowed for revocation of press IDs.
Ateba says his press pass lapsed on July 31, and he has not had the option to reestablish it. There are 975 journalists with White House hard passes. Hard passes permit writers to go back and forth from the White House Press Room and other press rooms uninhibitedly.
The White House presently expects correspondents to get press accreditations from Congress or SCOTUS to satisfy its new rules. Ateba claimed he could not apply for his credentials and believes he was explicitly hindered.
The Congressional Press Galleries are filled with entrenched DC writers, and their standards for qualifications, in view of “reputability,” are viewed as ambiguous and selective.
Reports show that columnists without hard passes are required to contact the White House to get a day pass.
Ateba works for Today News Africa and has been the focal point of a few White House Press Room controversies. Ateba’s primary objection is that he had not been able to pose an inquiry in almost a year. He claimed that the White House had victimized him and as well as other correspondents.
Ateba said in a statement that this isn’t China. This isn’t Russia. The White House has made a joke of the First Amendment.
Ateba’s claim and videos of his media appearances show that he must fall back on yelling and interrupting to pose inquiries since White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre will not call on him to ask questions.
