The latest reports are that the White House is apparently already backing down now from its earlier threat to ban Jim Acosta for second time once his 14-day reinstatement expires:
DAILY MAIL – The White House backed down Monday in its battle over CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, deciding not to pursue its November 7 decision to ban him from the building.
In a letter to Acosta, the White House told him: ‘Having received a formal reply from your counsel to our letter of November 16, we have made a final determination in this process: your hard pass is restored.’
‘There’s the sense that we made our point and it’s time to make this go away,’ a White House official said Monday morning, while declining to speak on specifics surrounding the case.
The White House’s apparent stand-down came after CNN petitioned Judge Kelly for an expedited hearing, hoping to win a more permanent injunction before that order expired.
CNN media reporter Brian Stelter had reported just Sunday night that the White House was already planning to yank Acosta’s press credentials again on Nov. 30 when that order expires.
Instead the West Wing appears to be cutting its losses, recognizing that its failure to establish a formal procedure for a behavior-related suspension of a journalist’s ‘hard pass’ would hamper it in court.
New rules…
According to CNN, the letter Acosta received Monday describes new rules that will be put into place, including a limit of ‘a single question’ from each journalist during presidential press conferences, and follow-ups only ‘at the discretion of the President or other White House officials.’
‘Should you refuse to follow these rules in the future, we will take action in accordance with the rules set forth above. The President is aware of this decision and concurs,’ the letter continues.
Per White House letter to Acosta on Nov. 19, here are the new rules for press conferences at the White House. pic.twitter.com/a6C2pmLv2K
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) November 19, 2018
Well they certainly backed down pretty quickly. There’s still a lawsuit happening, but I guess Acosta will be back in the White House until it’s over – or until he shows his butt again. Whichever comes first.