White House Cuts Freelancers From Pool Reports Distribution List
"No-one's answering the White House press line."
The White House has taken the axe to the list of reporters who get access to pool reports which provide details on the President's every move from how much time he’s spending in the Oval Office to the number of days he’s golfing.
While the pool reports are still provided to full time White House correspondents, the wider list seems to have been significantly culled. Paul Brandus, the author of five books on White House history told me, “There’s a lack of transparency, if the White House reports are not going out, it makes it harder to report on the President’s activities. It’s important to remember that the President is an elected official and is accountable to the American people.” Brandus said no-one is picking up calls at the main press office at the White House, something that hasn’t happened in 15 years of him working with communications staffers there. Though the air crash in Washington may have stretched staff thin this week.
Another disgruntled freelancer who covers global politics has also lost access to Presidential pool reports. He’s been receiving them over the past five administrations and was stunned after discovering he was suddenly cut off from the distribution list without warning this week. “The White House removed me from the email list,” said this frustrated freelancer. “I’ve been on this distribution list back to the Bush administration. I’m not the only one. Have they taken everyone off? Is everyone supposed to re-apply? Maybe it’s just people with hard passes who are going to be able to get it from now on?”
This accomplished correspondent reached out to the White House Correspondents’ Association whose website currently reads: “You Have a Right To Access.” They were no help instead responding in an email that they, “did not see evidence that you are ‘employed on the editorial staff of a newspaper, periodical, wire service, radio, TV or other news-gathering organization that reports on the White House,’ as required by our by-laws.” The association offered to refund the freelancer his dues after it had deducted his credit card.
Meanwhile, the new Trump White House is revamping who gets access to Brady press room briefings too. New press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who made her debut on Tuesday, posted an invitation for “independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers and content creators,” to apply for credentials. That effort will presumably reduce question time for trained reporters in place of TikTokers. The China-backed social media service, in the midst of a sales process, temporarily shut down on the final day of the Biden Administration in response to a lawmakers ban, only to re-open by posting a thank-you note to President Trump for the reprieve.
It looks like other parts of the official White House website are also under a rethink. A search for a list of past presidents returns a Google link to Whitehouse.gov with a 404 Page Not Found message.
If you’ve lost your pool report access drop me a note. This is a developing story.
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