On Nov. 13, White House officials revoked CNN journalist Jim Acosta’s press pass, striping him of his press credentials and barring him from entering White House press conferences.
Just three days later, U.S. district judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the White House’s decision was unfounded. In an article by NPR, Kelly was quoted saying, “Each day he [Acosta] is deprived … [he] suffers a harm that cannot be remedied in retrospect.”
The judge added that the White House cannot take away journalist’s credentials without due process as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
In this situation, Acosta’s First Amendment rights were not maintained. At Kennedy Hunt P.C., our expert attorneys have a combined decades worth of experience in defending the First Amendment rights of our clients.
In one of our cases, Tarvin, et al., v. Board of Educ., East St. Louis Sch. Dist. No. 189, et al., we successfully defends clients who faced First Amendment retaliation.
“Our clients are two precinct committeemen and a local union official who were employed by the school district as carpentry supervisor, and in-house detention coordinator and school security coordinator. They were demoted and suffered pay decreases because they supported candidates for school board other than those endorsed by the Democratic Party. This First Amendment retaliation case sought declaratory and injunctive relief and damages. After the District Court denied the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, the case was settled. No. 3:09-cv-655-GPM-CJP.”
We are equipped to help those who have been denied their First Amendment rights. If you believe your First Amendment rights have been denied, or you’ve faced First Amendment retaliation, fill out a case questionnaire so we can better understand your claim.