Washington, D.C., Sept. 24 — A federal judge’s order to restore White House press credentials for three news outlets has been ignored, as MSNBC correspondent Laura Barron‑Lopez was denied entry on Thursday, mirroring recent turn‑aways of CNN and Politico journalists.
Update: 10:20am est.
A reporter for the online outlet MS NOW was turned away from the White House press entrance on Thursday, bringing the media outlet into a growing dispute over access that already includes correspondents from CNN and Politico.
Laura Barron‑Lopez, a senior reporter for the news outlet, said she arrived at the Press Briefing building, swiped her badge at the security checkpoint and watched the indicator turn red before being stopped by a uniformed security guard.
“I got as far as the press pass security hut, swiped my badge, and the light started flashing red,” Barron‑Lopez told reporters after the incident. “The guard told me I could not proceed and escorted me off the premises.”
Her experience mirrors that of a CNN reporter and a Politico correspondent, both of whom were denied entry his morning under the same circumstances.
MS NOW, CNN and Politico have scheduled a joint press conference for Thursday afternoon to discuss the broader implications of the White House’s security procedures on media freedom.
