Before we get the ball rolling, it should be noted that the reporter who is the subject of this post, Brian Karem — Playboy’s White House journalist — seems to have already started muscling in on territory currently owned by a notorious CNN journo (but Karem’s tributes will continue later):
You are treading in dangerous waters. You have no respect for the Constitution and your staff is filled with sycophants who enable your childish behavior. @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/0O5zBMlJsI
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) August 20, 2019
But first, as Twitchy told you a few days ago, Playboy Magazine promised that the White House’s temporary suspension of Karem would be met with a challenge in court, and Tuesday that process began. CNN’s Jim Acosta will appreciate the “Enemy of the People” shoutout from Karem:
Federal lawsuit filed. We are not the enemy of the people. We are the people. @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/mE6jMXm3Fg
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) August 20, 2019
Here is a thread and link to my statement about the federal lawsuit we just filed against @realDonaldTrump and @PressSec on behalf @Playboy White House Correspondent @BrianKarem seeking immediate restoration of his hard pass. https://t.co/0jpXOzhmPI 1/3
— Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) August 20, 2019
The lawsuit was good enough for a retweet from Acosta:
But anyway, more about that lawsuit:
Breaking: Reporter @BrianKarem sues White House over 30-day suspension of his credentials following July 11th verbal confrontation with @SebGorka. Statement from Karem’s attorney @BoutrousTed: pic.twitter.com/mn5GaPN219
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) August 20, 2019
In case you missed it, Karem did his best to spin himself as the victim after the July incident in the White House Rose Garden. The Trump White House responded:
Just in: Statement from @PressSec: "I stand by my decision to temporarily suspend Mr. Karem’s hard pass for 30 days due to his behavior at a Rose Garden event. The purpose of a hard pass is to provide access to the White House so members of the press can report and ask….
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) August 20, 2019
…questions of officials who are taking questions. Mr. Karem did not use the access granted to him for journalistic purposes – in fact, the President had left the event. Instead, he used his press pass to insult invited guests and make comments that…
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) August 20, 2019
…threatened to escalate into a physical confrontation to the point that the Secret Service intervened." End.
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) August 20, 2019
Time will tell where this all goes:
You do not have a first amendment right to pick fights with the President’s guests in the Rose Garden. https://t.co/UwlguPo0oz
— Erik Soderstrom (@soderstrom) August 21, 2019
The serious public-affairs magazine with centerfolds and Little Annie Fanny cartoons would like to have their own Acosta yelling at people at the White House… https://t.co/iunbhZOTwl
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) August 20, 2019
That seems pretty clear at this point.
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