AP Sues Trump White House Officials Over ‘Gulf of America’ Ban on News Organization

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials Friday over the White House ban on the news organization’s access to presidential events.

The White House has blocked AP reporters and photographers over its refusal to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” which is what President Trump last month ordered the body of water to be henceforth called.

The AP, citing the First Amendment, asked a federal judge to stop the White House from blocking its journalists. The AP’s lawsuit names White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and chief of staff Susan Wiles as defendants. “The White House has ordered the Associated Press to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access,” the news org says in the complaint. “The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government.

The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech. Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom.” The AP seeks a ruling ordering the Trump officials to “immediately rescind” their denial of the AP’s access to the Oval Office, Air Force One and other limited spaces “when such spaces are made open to other White House press pool members.” It also seeks an order declaring that White House’s ban violates the First and Fifth Amendments, as well as a monetary award covering AP’s legal costs incurred in the lawsuit.