Rob Archer

It’s true that no one has a right to report “fake” news. If something is intentionally inaccurate, a plaintiff can prove libel or slander in court. That’s not what’s happening here. There’s no specific case being presented. Officials can’t discriminate against journalists simply because they don’t like their point of view. Every time authorities have tried to do so called “viewpoint discrimination,” they’ve lost in court. Often in the past, journalists themselves have stood in solidarity to defend their colleagues’ press freedoms. In 2009, the Obama Administration tried to exclude FOX News from a pool interview. The other networks refused to participate unless they were included. One day later, the Obama team changed course. It’ll be interesting to see how FOX and other outlets respond this time around after CNN, MSNow and POLITCO were “banned” from the White House grounds. The media ecosystem is obviously very different now than in 2009. But the dangerous thing about “viewpoint discrimination” is it could break both ways. If this is allowed to stand, what’s to stop a potential future Democratic Administration from banning the Wall Street Journal, FOX News, etc.? That would be a terrible thing too. Accountability for our public officials from both sides is a good thing. Tough questions from a watchful eye prevents corruption and encourages competence. This isn’t a partisan perspective. It’s a principle so important to America’s founding, that’s it’s written into the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.