White House Unveils New Press Pass: Must Defeat Press Office In Court First
Officials say the credentialing process is simpler than it sounds, provided reporters can out-litigate the very office deciding whether they get in.
The White House press office confirmed Tuesday that a new accreditation system will require journalists to sue the press office and prevail before receiving a badge, a change officials described as "streamlining."
Under the plan, outlets currently suing over the earlier ban will be automatically enrolled in the new system, meaning their existing lawsuit now doubles as their credential application. A second, unrelated suit may be required if the first one succeeds too quickly.
"We wanted a process that was fair, transparent, and adjudicated entirely by us," said a spokesperson for the office, who added that appeals would be heard by the same panel that issued the ban, "in the interest of continuity."
Networks that suspended their own coverage over the ban are reportedly unsure whether that suspension now counts as forfeiting their case, filing a new one, or simply waiting for the credential office to notice they left.
As of Tuesday evening, no outlet has successfully completed the loop, though several say they are optimistic about their chances once they determine who, exactly, they are suing.