Several US media advocates have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump accusing him of stifling free speech in violation of the Constitution, a court document filed in a federal court in Manhattan showed on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2018) Several US media advocates have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump accusing him of stifling free speech in violation of the Constitution, a court document filed in a Federal court in Manhattan showed on Tuesday.
"This complaint arises out of official acts by the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, intended to stifle exercise of the constitutional protections of free speech and a free press," said the lawsuit, which was filed by the literary group PEN American Center, along with the nonprofit Protect Democracy and the Yale Law school Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic.
The lawsuit accuses Trump of making credible public threats to use the powers of his government against news organizations and journalists, in violation of the First Amendment and Trump's oath to uphold the Constitution.
"The suit seeks to stop President Trump from using the machinery of government to retaliate or threaten reprisals against journalists and media outlets for coverage he dislikes," PEN said in a statement announcing the complaint.
The plaintiffs argue that Trump's repeated attacks on journalists have created a culture of hostility toward the media, and have led to an increase in attacks on members of the press.
The media advocates are not seeking any financial damages, but rather are asking the court to issue an order declaring that Trump's actions violate the First Amendment and enjoining him to refrain from directing officials in his administration to retaliate against journalists who provide coverage that he does not like, according to the lawsuit.
Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has had a stormy relationship with major US media outlets, several of which he has branded "fake news."
