The Supreme Court ruled 50-years-ago that news organizations are not entitled to access to places or information the government controls – shutting down any claim by CNN that President Trump’s decision to revoke the press-passes for three organizations violates its constitutional rights.

🔻In Houchins v. KQED (1978), the justices held that the First Amendment is neither a Freedom of Information Act nor an Official Secrets Act.

The press’s core protection is the right to communicate information once it has been obtained, not a right to collect it from the government.

🔻Pell v. Procunier (1974) and related cases established that the press has no constitutional right to information or locations not available to the public generally.

🔻Zemel v. Rusk (1965) stated that the right to speak and publish does not carry with it an unrestrained right to gather information, and that entry into the White House is not a First Amendment right.

Also the Supreme Court/federal-court precedent: Sherrill v. Knight (D.C. Circuit, 1977).

That case specifically involved White House press credentials. The court recognized that the White House isn’t constitutionally required to open itself to every reporter, but held that once the White House establishes a press-access system, it cannot deny access to a journalist because of the content of that journalist’s reporting. The court required a legitimate basis for exclusion and procedural safeguards. AP’s current reporting specifically identifies Sherrill as relevant to the present dispute.

Those rulings have never been overruled.

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were banned from the White House effective immediately because they constantly publishes information that is blatantly false.

The President told reporters in the Oval Office those organizations can write whatever they choose; but because they are dishonest he does not have to let them into the people’s house.

Today Secret Service agents deactivated and confiscated hard passes when CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters arrived at the press entrance.

CNN called the move an illegal assault on a constitutionally protected right to report without government hindrance.

MS NOW and Politico said they would take every step to defend their First Amendment rights.

Conservatives point out that the three outlets still have cameras, websites, sources, and nationwide reach. He did not ban them from operating.

What they lost is a privilege – workspace, West Wing proximity, and pool access – that ordinary citizens never receive.

White House press access is a courtesy the executive can manage, not a legal entitlement.

The organizations will sue, but the Highest Court already ruled