White House access is now a kill switch on a badge

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‘My badge suddenly didn’t work.’

The White House faced mounting accusations Saturday that it had violated the First Amendment after barring journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico from its grounds and confiscating their press passes.

The three news organizations condemned the restrictions, while the White House Correspondents’ Association called for reporters’ access to be restored. Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, told NBC News that the move was “pretty clearly unconstitutional” and predicted that a potential legal challenge would succeed.

The restrictions put into effect a ban President Donald Trump announced Friday against the three outlets over what he called their “constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS.” Trump also warned that “other outlets” would face similar action but did not identify them.

On Saturday morning, MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner, CNN reporter Betsy Klein and Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett arrived for work at the White House and were denied entry. All three had their credentials confiscated or disabled.

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