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
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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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