The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) applauds the court order reinstating the White House press credential of CNN’s Jim Acosta . Federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order prompting the immediate reinstatement while other issues are determined in subsequent litigation. CNN reacted favorably to what is at least a temporary victory.
NABJ leadership said its members should not be deterred from asking anyone, including President Donald Trump, the tough and relevant questions, and supports other journalists in their efforts.
Acosta’s press pass to access the White House was suspended “until further notice” after he engaged in a contentious back-and-forth with President Trump last week during a press conference.
Immediately following the suspension, NABJ issued a statement of support of the journalist. Acknowledging the waste of time and resources to focus on an action that shouldn’t have taken place, NABJ President Sarah Glover sent a strong message to the president.
“We won’t be silent, when the very foundation and principles of our industry are under assault,” Glover said. “This continuous attack against media companies, along with the personal attacks against journalists, is reprehensible and should be widely denounced.”
According to NABJ Vice President of Broadcast Dorothy Tucker, journalists’ constitutional rights are taken seriously and NABJ’s esteemed journalists will not retreat from exercising those rights.
“President Trump’s verbal assaults on journalists, especially the recent attacks on three black female reporters, are unacceptable,” she said. “Journalists will continue to use an arsenal of investigative tools to do their job of finding and reporting the truth on important issues. The president’s actions will only further intensify the resolve of all journalists to find the truth and hold the powerful accountable.”
NABJ encourages all journalists to continue their diligence in the gathering and reporting of information to help provide context to issues and to uncover the truth.
“While the ruling is an initial victory; journalists must remain vigilant, with or without the credentials,” added Glover. “We are professional journalists and we know that, while helpful, we don’t need White House credentials to cultivate credible sources inside and outside of the administration or any entity.”
About The Author
Editor-in-Chief/Entertainment Reporter
I knew early on that I wanted to take my place among the stars. One day, my mother saw me reading The Washington Post at a very young age. Who would have known that it would be the building blocks of my journey? Since that day, I dedicated my life to learn all that is learnable. I read everything from encyclopedias, to books, to dictionaries, to magazines. I’m also an avid consumer of television, with my favorite genre being game shows. If you’ve seen me on Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Wheel of Fortune, then you know that this interest has served me well!
My unique style of reporting began back in junior high school, when I started to chronicle the events that shaped my life. Whether it was the annual family vacation or the local science fiction convention, I shot numerous pictures and recorded my thoughts so I could truly appreciate the history. During my senior year at Friendly High, I wrote what was to be my first masterpiece, “Advanced Space Academy – A One Week Journey.” I sent the eleven-page article back to the U.S. Space Camp staff. The article was highly praised for being “one of the best written articles in the history of U.S. Space Camp.” From then on, I knew what I wanted to do for rest of my life — to be a reporter.
Since then, I have trained in Broadcast Journalism at Bowie State University (2008) in Bowie, MD earning a B.S. in Communications. I gained experience in news production and editing through field experiences with Bowie Community Media Corporation, Prince George’s Community Television, and Bowie State University Television. I also wrote scripts for a variety of quiz shows for over five years.
As a lifelong movie buff, I now see close to 100 films every year. I took this love of movies to the next step when I became a co-host for Eclipse Magazine TV in the fall of 2005. While at EMTV, I interviewed celebrities, worked red carpets, and attended a wide variety of movie screenings. In January 2009, I took a leap of faith and started my own entertainment news magazine, The Rogers Revue. Shortly afterward, my life-long journey of studying the silver screen and writing about what I learned finally earned me a place in the Washington Area Film Critics Association.
All of this has led me here, giving you the latest entertainment news for the DMV and the entire nation, and I am truly excited for whatever will come next.