CNN Archives - First Amendment Watch

U.S. Vice President Vance holds White House briefing, first since Leavitt stepped down

A White House Press Ban Was Lifted This Week. But the Tensions and Legal Battle Aren’t Over Yet

Here are some things to know about the White House press corps, lawsuits over press access, and the increasingly contentious relationship between the president and the Fourth Estate.

MS NOW reporter works from outside the White House in Washington

Judge Orders White House To Restore Access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico. Reporters Still Blocked

The back-and-forth is the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.

‘You Should Not Be Here,’ Trump Tells CNN at UN as Standoff With Media Outlets Persists

The tense moment was a stark reminder of how dramatically the bitter conflict between Trump and news outlets whose coverage he objects to as “fake news” has escalated in just a few days.

What Is the White House Pool? These Days, It’s a Battleground Between Trump and Free Press Rights

The pool is a proxy for the wider fight over whether the president, or anyone, can control the content of news reports — a type of free speech, pillar of American democracy.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C.

CNN, MS Now, Politico Say They’ve Notified Trump They’re Suing Over Denied White House Access

The administration’s announcement of the bans the White House’s subsequent actions over the weekend represented a clear escalation of Trump’s long-running efforts to restrict news coverage he finds objectionable.

Supreme Court Won’t Revive Alan Dershowitz’s $300 Million Suit Against CNN

The majority declined to take up the case in a brief, unexplained order. Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented, calling on the court to reconsider the legal standards for public figures who claim defamation.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon leaves federal court after an appearance following his arrest for involvement in a protest at a church in Minnesota, in Los Angeles

ICE Protesters Who Interrupted Minnesota Church Service Won’t Face State Charges, Prosecutor Says

At least four states — Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas — adopted laws this year making it a crime to disrupt worship services.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon attends his arraignment at federal court in Saint Paul

Journalist Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty to Civil Rights Charges in Minnesota Church Protest

The veteran journalist vowed to fight what he called “baseless charges” and protect his free speech rights.

We are building the first national database of alleged SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation — potentially meritless or malicious legal actions that can financially cripple and ultimately silence critical voices.