Posted on October 16, 2018 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
A literary-rights organization has filed a lawsuit against the president.
PEN America is arguing that some of Donald Trump’s official acts have “violated the First Amendment and his oath to uphold the Constitution,” according to The Associated Press.
The suit does not refer to critical statements he has made about journalists and the media, but rather to such actions as alleged meddling in a proposed merger of AT&T and CNN as well as pressuring the U.S. Postal Service to raise shipping costs on Amazon (owned by the same man who owns The Washington Post).
It states: “President Trump has First Amendment rights and is free to criticize the press vehemently, but he is not free to use the power and authority of the United States government to punish and stifle it.”
The White House has not responded to the AP’s request for comment yet.
You can see the lawsuit on PEN's website and read more from the AP here.
Categories: Today in Books