Brent Bozell: Jim Acosta is a ‘left-wing activist,’ CNN a ‘political hit squad’

CNN reporter Jim Acosta recently lost his White House credentials after a skirmish with President Trump during a press conference — and the incident has sparked legal actions, controversy, commentary and criticism from prominent conservatives.

Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh already has declared that Mr. Acosta has no constitutional right to the coveted press credentials. Others agree, including the president of the Reston, Va.-based Media Research Center.

“CNN’s lawsuit is ridiculous. I am, and have always been, a defender of the Constitution and the First Amendment. That said, no one reporter has a constitutional right to access the press briefing room. It’s the prerogative of the White House to decide who gets a pass and who does not,” said Brent Bozell, who founded the MRC in 1987.

“Let me be clear: Jim Acosta is not a reporter. He is a left-wing activist. He has proven on countless occasions that he is more interested in disrupting and debating the President than asking serious questions. As far as the administration is concerned, CNN is not a news organization but a political hit squad for the far left,” Mr. Bozell advised in a statement released Wednesday.

“I am sure Jim Acosta’s press pass would be restored if he proved himself capable of playing the role of a respectable journalist like nearly every other correspondent in that room. Until that happens, the White House’s decision to suspend Acosta is absolutely justified,” he said.