Blue-check journos RAGE at the White House over new plan to start charging for daily Covid-19 tests

The Biden administration will reportedly start charging reporters $170 for a Covid-19 test every time they come to the White House:

Biden’s team wants to charge reporters $170 for a COVID test every time they come to the White Househttps://t.co/guSRllt8Ki

— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) February 26, 2021

This new policy will start on Monday:

"Starting Monday, the White House's press office said it will start charging journalists for coronavirus tests, which are required for anyone entering the White House grounds. The proposed cost for each test: $170." https://t.co/HEFdyW5TP5

— David Gura (@davidgura) February 26, 2021

And it will add up for some outlets:

“It would cost $1,360 a day to test an eight-person crew under the White House plan.” https://t.co/Vv4RqUjvn0

— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) February 26, 2021

The testing regime “has strained [the White House’s] budget and they need to pay for these tests somehow:

$170 per test for anyone entering the White House grounds, because "officials there contend that the cost of maintaining the testing regime for nearly a year has strained its budget."

Strained the White House's budget. https://t.co/IPHygU4zmx

— Jack Fitzpatrick ☘️ (@jackfitzdc) February 26, 2021

Blue-check journos are shocked that they’re being asked to pick up the cost:

The price of admission? … White House and press are at odds over plan to charge reporters for coronavirus testing. Good piece from ⁦@farhip⁩ https://t.co/JbWOnhJiYK

— ☀️ Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) February 26, 2021

If they’re mad at this, wait until they find out how much single-payer insurance costs in terms of raised taxes for all these outlets:

i feel like disney (parent of abc), warner media (parent of cnn), universal (parent of nbc/msnbc), fox, paramount (parent of cbs), and the ap/nyt/wapo could… quite easily cover the costs of covid testing for everyone in the whca without batting an eye? https://t.co/jE3LOB1yKe

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 26, 2021

Playboy’s Brian Karem called it a “violation of Free Speech”:

This is a violation of Free Speech. @POTUS should be ashamed. NO ONE should have to pay to cover the president. For any reason. Many smaller organizations can't afford this. No freelancer or independent will be able to pay this cost. https://t.co/zwiRwNRwPY

— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) February 26, 2021

Journos were already mad at team Biden so we’ll see what happens next:

First, @PressSec locks out everyone but the wires, TV networks & winners of a weekly “lottery.”

Now even if I “win” a daily slot to talk to the people I cover, it costs $170 but the White House pays for pool members like @AP (employer of @WHCA prez @ZekeJMiller), @Reuters…

— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) February 26, 2021

…@business (all of which are in the pool EVERY DAY), the TV/radio networks (one of which has two @WHCA board members working for it) and other deep-pocketed outlets?

This is wrong and if @WHCA officers actually cared about advocating for all journalists instead of rigging…

— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) February 26, 2021

…everything to benefit themselves and their employers they would take a stand and tell @PressSec that there will be no events covered by a pool unless she restores everyone’s ability to do their job.

— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) February 26, 2021

Or, and we’re just spitballing here, these orgs can cut down on other expenses?