CNN, MS NOW and Politico expand lawsuit against Trump White House, citing continued ‘viewpoint discrimination’

CNBC reports that the outlets are seeking to regain full access to serve in a press pool for other reporters in the Oval Office and Air Force One.[2]According to CNN, the amended complaint comes two weeks after US District Judge Timothy P. Kelly granted a preliminary injunction restoring the outlets' White House access[1]. CNN also reports that the administration is appealing Kelly's ruling.[1]CNN reports that CNN has been barred from traveling aboard Air Force One on all six occasions when it was scheduled to serve as the designated TV network pooler[3] since September 18. According to CNN, Politico has also been barred twice from its scheduled out-of-town pool assignments in recent weeks.[3]CNBC reports that the complaint says "Defendants have offered no official explanation for any of these exclusions."[2]According to MS NOW, on the days the White House has banned CNN and Politico from serving in the pool, other outlets have declined to fill in for them in solidarity.[4]The outlets' attorney Ted Boutrous said in a statement reported by CNBC that the exclusions are "intended to punish and chill coverage of the administration that the President doesn't like"[2].A White House official told Deadline that "No person and no journalist has a constitutional right to access to the President's Oval Office, Air Force One, or other sensitive and private facilities."[5]