DOJ Investigates Trump Campaign Over White House Press Pool Restrictions
The Justice Department is probing whether restrictions on television network access violated federal transparency laws.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into former President Donald Trump's temporary restriction of television network access to the White House press pool. The DOJ's Public Integrity Section confirmed Friday it is reviewing whether Trump campaign officials' October 8 directive barring select networks from the press pool violated federal regulations.
The directive suspended pool access for NBC News, ABC News, and CNN for approximately 24 hours, citing inaccurate reporting about the president's health. Access was restored after intervention by the White House Correspondents' Association.
"This raises serious First Amendment and federal transparency questions," said Sarah McMorrow, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "The press pool is a critical mechanism for informing the American people."
The investigation could establish precedent for how federal law applies to press access during presidential campaigns. NBC News President Cynthia Harris said the network is cooperating fully.
Source: Axios
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