First Amendment Lawyer Says CNN Should Bring Suit Against White House Over Acosta Incident

First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams makes a good point when he says that the issue is not really CNN v. Trump, it is First Amendment v. Trump, and somebody is going to have to bring the suit, sooner or later. CNN:

Floyd Abrams, a constitutional law expert who has appeared frequently before the Supreme Court, told CNN’s Brian Stelter on “Reliable Sources” Sunday that CNN has a case.

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“I think it’s a really strong lawsuit,” Abrams said. “I can understand CNN being reluctant to sue because the president keeps saying CNN is the enemy of me, and CNN might have reluctance to have a lawsuit titled ‘CNN vs. Donald Trump.’ That said, yes, I think they should sue.” Abrams said.

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“This is going to happen again,” he said. “It’s likely to happen again. So whether it’s CNN suing or the next company suing, someone is going to have to bring a lawsuit. And whoever does is going to win unless there’s some sort of reason.”

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Former ABC White House reporter Sam Donaldson, who said he’s been asked to prepare an affidavit to support CNN’s case, said Trump’s decision to revoke Acosta’s credentials “is not only wrong and unfair, it’s dangerous for the press as a whole.”

In addition to the incident with Acosta, on Friday as Trump was leaving town for Paris, he reviled black journalist April Ryan, calling her “nasty” and a “loser” who “doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing.” There’s that pot calling kettle thing again, which is the hallmark of Donald Trump. Ryan says it’s simple, Trump sees black women as his inferiors. Washington Post:

It’s not hard to find the common denominator: Though there’s hardly anyone — from his predecessors to senators in his own party — he won’t try to shout down with ad hominem insults, Trump relishes, and injects venom into, verbal attacks against women of color.

Correspondents don’t go to the White House every day to make friends. We do our jobs courteously, but also thoroughly and assertively, to get answers for our viewers, listeners and readers about the statements and actions that affect all Americans’ lives. Sometimes that means having a quiet sidebar with a member of the White House communications staff. Sometimes that means meeting with first son-in-law and presidential adviser Jared Kushner to discuss the administration’s approach to criminal justice reform. Sometimes that means shouting a question at the president as he crosses the White House lawn on the way to boarding Marine One. You can tell, though, by the way Trump has responded in recent days to more than one black female journalist that he sees our presence there as illegitimate. If he didn’t, he’d either answer our questions or simply ignore them, not berate us.

But when Trump denigrates black women, he’s sending the message that he doesn’t see us equally.

Trump sees everybody as his inferiors, except for tyrants and dictators, whom he lionizes. That’s who he is. April Ryan had the hubris to ask Trump if he was a racist and oh, no little lady, you don’t go there — most especially if you’re a woman of color.

Trump should enjoy the new crop of Representatives in the House. We’re in for some very interesting sailing just ahead. As the line from Hamilton says, “Jesus, this is going to be fun to watch.”

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