NEW YORK—In response to the White House’s banning of CNN reporter from a Rose Garden briefing, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel released the statement below:
“The punitive banishing of a reporter in retaliation for posing questions the President did not want to answer represents a dangerous escalation in the White House’s relentless war on the press. Yesterday’s actions make clear that the President’s insults and threats are not idle, but rather represent a concerted tactic to evade and thwart hard-hitting coverage aimed to hold the Administration accountable. The press corps, and all defenders of the First Amendment, should stand together in condemning this egregious overreach.”
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PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. pen.org
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Anoosh Gasparian, External Relations Manager: [email protected]