Justice Department opens antitrust probe into White House TV pool networks
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether five television networks violated antitrust law when they briefly halted pooled coverage of President Donald Trump, a department spokesperson said Saturday.
ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News suspended coverage last month after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. The three organizations sued over the White House ban, alleging that the restrictions violated the First Amendment and were retaliation for their reporting. A federal judge subsequently ordered their access temporarily restored while the legal dispute continued, and television pool coverage resumed.
Justice Department spokesperson Emily Covington said coordinated boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act. “The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the …