In the past few months, the Biden administration has implemented new rules concerning press access to the White House.
According to Politico’s West Wing Playbook, these changes have resulted in a reduction of 31% of hard pass holders.
This means that 432 reporters no longer have access to White House grounds and press briefings unless they acquire what is known as a “temporary day pass”.
In addition, any application for such passes will be subject to increased scrutiny from the Secret Service.
Under the new guidelines, journalists must hold a full-time job with a news outlet, live in Washington D.C., regularly cover and access the White House and submit for an examination by the Secret Service.
Moreover, applicants are also required to obtain accreditation from either U.S Senate, U.S House of Representatives or Supreme Court.
One example was Simon Ateba, who was warned that he would face expulsion if he continued to interrupt briefings.
It is clear that any journalist who does not meet these requirements are stripped away of their right to attend press briefings at the White House.
In essence, these rules curtail freedom of speech and severely limit journalists’ access to important information which should be available for public consumption.
This raises serious doubts about President Biden’s commitment towards transparency and accountability especially when it comes to information regarding his government’s activities.
Furthermore, this situation may lead people down a path where only one version of events can be heard, thus depriving them from hearing different perspectives on critical issues which could otherwise inform decision making.
BREAKING: In "Warning Letter", @WhiteHouse Threatens to Silence Simon Ateba, suspend or revoke his hard pass https://t.co/nY6DRWnaMU via @todaynewsafrica pic.twitter.com/008mff4eNV
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) July 11, 2023
