Category: Uncategorized

Jack Smith. “I will not be intimidated?” Who’s the “dirt bag” now?

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.30.2026 UPDATED

MAGA friendly New York Post – 9.30.2026
The morning after The Hill – 9.30.2026
The New Republic – 9.30.2026

Did a clueless MAGA senator think he could humiliate veteran war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith by calling him a “dirt bag” after thoroughly embarrassing himself and the Republican party on national television?

Jack Smith is the man who brought Federal charges against Donald Trump only to have his work torn apart after Trump returned the White House in January 2025.

Now Trump’s toady MAGA allies in Congress have used their power to discredit Jack Smith. It’s not working. Jack Smith is familiar with criminals of all types,. Kosovo war criminals included.

John Luman Smith (born June 5, 1969) is an American attorney who has served in the United States Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. attorney, acting U.S. attorney, and head of the department’s Public Integrity Section. He was also the chief prosecutor at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, an international tribunal at The Hague tasked with investigating and prosecuting war crimes in the Kosovo War. He served as a special counsel for the Department of Justice from November 18, 2022, until his resignation on January 10, 2025. Jack Smith (lawyer) – Wikipedia

Jack Smith at the Senate Judiciary Committee – 9.29.2026

Excerpted from The Daily Beast 9.29.2026

MAGA Senator Eric Schmitt dramatically accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury and being a “dirtbag” on Tuesday—only to learn he got his reveal entirely wrong.

Smith appeared confused at first by the line of questioning, but it turned out that Schmitt completely mixed up the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks with the Hawkeyes from the University of Iowa.

Instead Schmitt was publicly humiliated, just as D.C. was gossiping that he could be a running mate for JD Vance in 2028.

The cringeworthy exchange came when the Missouri Republican started asking Smith about attending a basketball game in Atlanta in 2024.

He appeared to be trying to tie the former special counsel to the separate election interference case with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

MAGA Senator Humiliated Himself With Botched Gotcha Moment

Jack Smith calmly refutes absurd allegations from MAGA Senator Eric Schmitt

Why is San Francisco supporting Israel’s nuclear war machine?

SAN FRANCISCO|

Lee Heidhues 9.28.2026

The question I have is the following. “Why has San Francisco engaged in a Sister City for 10 years with the German port City of Kiel which is building lethal hardware for the Israeli navy?

Submarines which are believed to be nuclear armed though Israel never admits to possessing nuclear weapons.

Such an action does not fit international city San Francisco long known for its involvement in the peace movement and antiwar activities going back to the Vietnam War era?

At this Sunday’s German Day well attended celebration in Golden Gate Park the blogger had an instructive conversation with a representative from Kiel, Germany Kiel – Wikipedia A sister city of San Francisco.

I learned that the port City of Kiel in Northern Germany is a major supplier of weaponry to the Israeli navy. On September 1st six submarines left Kiel for the port of Haifa. With more scheduled for delivery.

Sister Cities of San Francisco at Powell and Market Streets. Kiel is 5484 miles away.

Excerpted from The Times of Israel 9.27.2026

Israel’s newest, largest submarine arrives, deepening Navy’s stealth capabilities

Twelve years and one scandal in the making, the INS Drakon completes its 23-day journey from Germany with a ToI reporter aboard, carrying secret tech and powered by a system that will allow it to stay underwater for longer

The Israeli Navy’s INS Drakon submarine sails in the Mediterranean Sea, early September 24, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)Jane’s Defence Weekly reported that the Dolphin-class submarines are believed to be nuclear armed, offering Israel a sea-based, second strike capability.[18][19] In adherence to Missile Technology Control Regime rules[48] the US Clinton administration rejected an Israeli request in 2000 to purchase Tomahawk long range SLCMs. The U.S. Navy has deployed nuclear armed and conventional Tomahawk missiles for its submarine fleet which are launched from standard heavy 533 mm torpedo tubes.[52] The Federation of American Scientists and GlobalSecurity.org reported that the four larger torpedo tubes are capable of launching Israeli built nuclear-armed Popeye Turbo cruise missiles (a variant of the Popeye standoff missile), and the U.S. Navy recorded an Israeli submarine-launched cruise missile test in the Indian Ocean ranging 1,500 km (930 mi).[10][14][53]

ABOARD INS DRAKON — Just a few nautical miles west of Haifa, the Israeli Navy’s sixth submarine was approaching Israel’s coast on Thursday morning after a 3,792-nautical-mile (around 8,000-kilometer) voyage over the past 23 days from Germany.

At dawn, reporters had boarded a small Defender-class patrol boat and headed out to greet the INS Drakon — or Dragon — on the final leg of her maiden journey to the Haifa Naval Base, where a ceremony was planned in the vessel’s honor.

Before we departed the naval base, the military took away all our electronic devices, from cellphones to key fobs, due to security concerns

Israel’s newest, largest submarine arrives, deepening Navy’s stealth capabilities | The Times of Israel

The Dolphin class (Hebrew: הצוללות מסדרת דולפין) is a diesel-electric submarine developed in Israel[6] and constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany, for the Israeli Navy‘s Shayetet 7 flotilla.[7] The first three boats of the class were based on the export-only German 209-class submarines, but modified and enlarged. This Dolphin-I sub-class is slightly larger than the German Navy Type 212 in length and displacement. Dolphin-class submarine – Wikipedia

Top photo: Israeli Dolphin Class submarine at the Port of Kiel, Germany

Germany has deep roots in the heart of San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – GOLDEN GATE PARK CONCOURSE

Lee Heidhues 9.27.2026

The blogger spent part of his Sunday renewing acquaintances and checking out the action at 2026 German Day in Golden Gate Park.

A large crowd enjoyed the food and entertainment as he made his way through the many booths of language schools, educational sites and the German Consulate in San Francisco.

Marion Gerlind in line for the German Day opening parade

A major presence at the event is the Gerlind Institute in Oakland Gerlind Institute for Cultural StudiesGerlind Institute for Cultural Studies whose director Marion Gerlind and her partner ‘JB’ offer a wide range of educational classes, cultural events and movies. It was due to the blogger’s wife Liz participation with the Institute that we accompanied the Gerlind Institute to Germany in 2017. After that we twice more traveled to Berlin and explored this historic European city.

Liz, Marion and Lee in Berlin – 2017

Sister Cities: Kiel and San Francisco

A most intriguing conversation for the blogger occurred when I spoke with a representative of San Francisco’s sister City Kiel. It turns out the shipyard in the port city of Kiel just built six submarines for the Israeli navy. These submarines sailed for the Israeli port of Haifa in early September. Three more are in line to be shipped. Israeli Navy’s Sixth Submarine, INS Drakon, Departs Germany for Israel | VINnews

The blogger spoke with a consular representative and after spinning the Wheel of Fortune was awarded an artsy coffee mug
The crowd enjoyed the on stage dance routine and the Golden Gate Park Band attired for the occasion
Dressed in German festival attire
Colorful German flags
The always popular Biergarten at any German festive event
Home, again with souvenirs from German Day 2026 including a German language edition of Franz Kafka’s The Trial and a book containing 46 drawings by Edvard Munch – Lebensfries

Top photo: Gerlind Institute booth at 2026 German Day

Trump’s war awash in exploding gas prices will bring him down

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.26.2026

The blogger has not owned a car for 60 years and never must visit the gas station except to occasionally use the restroom.

I am also well aware that I pay the price when I go shopping.

I am well aware of the logistics of transportation. I worked in this sector nearly 25 years negotiating contracts and being responsible for shipments foreign and domestic.

The current seemingly unending inflationary spiral is due in large part to the sharp rise in gas prices. Responsibility for this is undeniable. Donald Trump’s war of choice against Iran.

One of the groups hardest hit are his supporters. The farmers, ranchers and transportation companies mostly in Red State America, whose owners have been Trump’s biggest MAGA supporters. Until now.

Wall Street Journal – 9.26.2026
Trump’s war against in Iran seven months and counting awash in exploding gas prices will bring him down

Excerpted from The Wall Street Journal 9.26.2026

It’s costing more and more to get stuff in the hands of American shoppers. 

Trucking expenses are at their highest level since the Covid pandemic snarled operations around the world. Diesel prices are up 77% in the past year. Freight railroads are adding surcharges. And the nation’s busiest port is the busiest it’s ever been.

There’s virtually no way for businesses to avoid paying more, and they’re passing on the pain to consumers. It all adds up to extra inflationary pressure on a U.S. economy that has been wrestling with rising prices for years.

Among the key drivers is the soaring price of diesel fuel. It hit a record of $6.53 on Sept. 22, according to AAA. 

Also contributing to the rise in trucking costs, companies say, is a shortage of truck drivers, a byproduct of the Trump administration’s tightened enforcement of rules on who can qualify for a commercial driver’s license. Tens of thousands of immigrants—often the ones most willing to handle the less popular long-haul trucking routes—have lost their certifications. 

https://www.wsj.com/business/inflation-costs-diesel-port-trucks-1062d089?st=X6fkCE&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Diesel fuel $8.59 gallon in San Francisco – 9.21.2026 – photo Lee Heidhues

Transport costs are rising because diesel prices have hit record highs (up to $6.40 per gallon in 2026), truckload spot rates have surged to $3.83 per mile, and capacity shortages, labor constraints, and insurance spikes are pushing all freight modes upward.

What’s Driving the Increases

1. Fuel Prices Are at Historic Highs

  • Diesel averaged $6.40 per gallon in the U.S. in 2026 — a 70% increase year‑over‑year. americanactionforum.orgamericanactionforum.org
  • Geopolitical tensions (e.g., Strait of Hormuz crisis) pushed diesel to $5.50 per gallon earlier in the year. keynnectlogistics.com
  • Fuel is 15–20% of trucking operating costs, so spikes immediately raise freight rates.
San Francisco Chronicle – 9.19.2026 (article attached)
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/gas-diesel-price-farm-california-22435710.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL2NhbGlmb3JuaWEvYXJ0aWNsZS9nYXMtZGllc2VsLXByaWNlLWZhcm0tY2FsaWZvcm5pYS0yMjQzNTcxMC5waHA%3D&time=MTc5MDQ2OTA0NjEyNQ%3D%3D&rid=OTJhM2RhZWItNDMzYy00ZjMxLTgyMTQtZTU2ZjE2NDIzNDRl&sharecount=Mw%3D%3D
San Francisco Chronicle – 9.19.2026

Nazi Curious AfD Holocaust denial. Ban ‘stumbling stones’

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.25.2026

It’s dangerous and indicative of the true feelings of the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD).

Now that the AfD has gained power in Saxony-Anhalt in the former East Germany this Nazi Curious party is moving quickly to implement its perverse anti semitism agenda.

Nazi Curious AfD is cracking the foundation of Germany

Top on the list for AfD is banning Stolpersteine ‘stumbling stones’ in Heidenau near Dresden.

Heidenau (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪdənaʊ] ⓘ) is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, 13 km southeast of Dresden (centre).

In 2015, it became known for riots by local far-right forces against the arrival of refugees.[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34038557 In August 2015, authorities were forced to impose a temporary ban on assemblies in Heidenau due to continuous harassment of asylum-seekers.[4] Heidenau – Wikipedia

With the collaboration of the rightist CDU. German politics is in a sorry state when the establishment Christian Democratic Union (CDU) collaborates with the AfD. A political party German security services deem a national security threat.

AfD in the German Bundestag. Hitler, Hate and Hooligans

Excerpted from Deutsche Welle 9.25.2026


The town of Heidenau, near Dresden, has banned new Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) on public streets, with the center-right CDU and the far-right AfD voting together to stop the installation of new memorial plaques bearing the names of Holocaust victims.

On Friday, one of the top two leaders of Germany’s Green Party, Felix Banaszak, described the move as “a scandal.”

Banaszak pointed to the current debate on right-wing extremism and the rise of the AfD, saying that everything must be done “to keep alive the memories of those who were persecuted and killed.”

The Stolpersteine are comprised of a concrete cube with a metal plaque on top that bears the victim’s name. They are often seen in German streets, installed just slightly higher than the surrounding walking surface, often near the houses of people targeted by the Nazi regime.

Many others also responded with outrage to the CDU’s decision to join forces with the AfD to pass the motion. The move comes with Chancellor Merz already facing a political crisis over his party’s poor electoral performance, and raises questions about the political “firewall” against the far right which mainstream political parties in Germany have maintained to keep the AfD out of power.

German artist Gunter Demnig started the project in the early 1990s. While most of the 128,000 such paving stones were installed in Germany, they have also been placed in 30 other countries affected by the Nazi regime, making them the largest decentralized monument in the world.

https://www.dw.com/en/afd-cdu-ban-new-holocaust-stumbling-stones-in-heidenau/a-79433919

SF Public Works gives our street tree an unannounced hair cut

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues – Text and Photos – 9.25.2026

This Friday morning the blogger opened his garage door to see a San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFDPW) truck parked in his driveway.

I asked the driver if he was here to perform work on our property. The answer was “Yes.”

SFDPW was on-site to trim our tree which was overhanging the street. Making it difficult for the bi-weekly street sweeper to transit by our house. The blogger did not receive prior notification. I learned that I could “opt out” of the program.  For today it was too late.  Should I “opt out” in the future it would be necessary to hire a licensed arborist to perform the required work.

This is our second street tree.

Having familiarized myself with the procedure I talked with the DPW workers Caiman and Dylan. I explained that our current tree is nearly 10 years old. We have had a tree in front of our home since 1992 when Liz approached neighbors on behalf of Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF). As a result of her advocacy 44 trees were planted in our outer Richmond District neighborhood.

Caiman and Dylan assured me they would treat our tree with kindness and went to work. Following is a photo montage.

The blogger’s street tree before the trim
DPW arrives on the scene
Getting ready to trim the trees
The tree trimmings
Caiman and his tree prunner
Caiman liked our tree basin which provides plenty of room for the tree to prosper
A PEACE symbol protects the blogger’s greenery
Caiman and Dylan survey their work
Loading the trimmings into the shredder
The finished product

San Francisco is sinking in a swamp of vehicle pandemonium

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.24.2026

San Francisco is only 50 square miles in total. It is being sunk in the sea of vehicle pandemonium.

Bloggers Liz and Lee at car free JFK Promenade election victory – November 2022

The real question that needs to be asked here is two fold.

  1. Why do so many people feel a need to drive a private automobile in San Francisco?
  2. Why are there so many large scale public events which overwhelm San Francisco?

The answer to the first question is that Americans have been indoctrinated to love their cars and as a result have come to regard the car as an everyday necessity.

The solution to the second question is to call a halt to these seemingly nonstop weekly large scale events in San Francisco. This fixation with entertainment speaks volumes to the lack of introspection and time for quiet reflection pervasive in American society.

Excerpted from The San Francisco Chronicle 9.24.2026

The fatal flaw to driving in San Francisco – FATAL CRASH

What caused the epic Golden Gate Park traffic jam —

Should S.F. drivers brace for a repeat?

A woman who gave birth in the midst of a Golden Gate Park traffic jam became an instant symbol of human resilience, though her ordeal also showed what happens when a city is paralyzed by congestion. 

Typical motorist Road Rage game face

Days afterward, San Francisco officials and transportation planners are still trying to untangle the root causes of the chaos as motorists brace for a repeat. That weekend of Sept. 19 and 20 included closures along the “Hospital Curve” section of Highway 101 that led to about 20 minutes of backup — mostly for people trying to get on the Bay Bridge in SoMa, said Lori Shepherd, a spokesperson for Caltrans. But snarls on downtown streets and roads were compounded by additional traffic stemming from the King of the Streets Low Rider Parade and Festival in the Mission District on Saturday. 

San Francisco’s October calendar is packed, starting with Fleet Week on the northern waterfront and continuing with the bluegrass extravaganza in Golden Gate Park, as well as the rehabilitation projects on major freeways and a “No Kings” march on Oct. 17. Drivers heading out during these times should be aware that anything could happen.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/traffic-jam-golden-gate-park-birth-22447542.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL3NmL2FydGljbGUvdHJhZmZpYy1qYW0tZ29sZGVuLWdhdGUtcGFyay1iaXJ0aC0yMjQ0NzU0Mi5waHA%3D&time=MTc5MDI5MTEzMzAwOQ%3D%3D&rid=OTJhM2RhZWItNDMzYy00ZjMxLTgyMTQtZTU2ZjE2NDIzNDRl&sharecount=Mg%3D%3D
An original two wheel means of transportation in San Francisco
One reason motorists love their cars – Brand New Car – Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge LP 1994

Top photo: San Francisco Chronicle. Vehicle jam at Lincoln Way and 19th Avenue entry to Golden Gate Park

Showdown continues. CNN Veteran dissects Trump’s press assault

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.23.2026

On Deutsche Welle veteran CNN reporter and now university professor Frank Sesno articulated the ramifications for the press, the White House and the viewing public of Trump’s censoring White House media coverage.

Frank Sesno is an American journalist, former CNN correspondent, anchor, and Washington bureau chief. He is also author, and former director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University.[1] Frank Sesno – Wikipedia

The Deutsche Welle interview can be viewed by opening the attachment.

https://www.dw.com/en/trump-vs-the-press-who-controls-the-story/video-79401998

Wednesday afternoon a Federal judge in Washington DC heard the argument for a restraining order from three networks banished from the White House. The judge, a Trump appointee, appeared skeptical of Trump’s action. But took the matter under submission and expects to make ruling soon.

Excerpted from The New York Times 9.23.2026

The judge hearing a challenge to President Trump’s attempt to block three news outlets from the White House said on Wednesday he would consider the argument offered by both sides and issue his ruling as soon as possible, leaving in place — at least for now — the president’s block on CNN, MS NOW and Politico.

The judge, Timothy J. Kelly of U.S. District Court in Washington, seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments but did not immediately rule on the request by the three outlets to restore their access to the White House complex.

Meanwhile, coverage of Trump by the Press ‘Pool’, which includes Trump reliable Fox News has ceased which means Trump, by his own action, no longer receives the blanket media coverage he craves.

Fox News’s bond with President Trump is undeniable. Prime time stars like Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters cheerlead his policies, the president’s daughter-in-law hosts a weekly show on the network, and Fox’s founder, Rupert Murdoch, attended Mr. Trump’s nominating convention in 2024.

Nonetheless, this week Fox News has joined other networks in standing up for the rival media outlets that Mr. Trump decried as “fake” and banned from the White House — and two senior Fox journalists emerged as lead actors in the White House press corps’ standoff with the administration.

Fox News did not hesitate to go along with the plan. On Tuesday night, for instance, Fox was the scheduled pool crew for Mr. Trump’s Air Force One arrival at Joint Base Andrews, but it declined to film the event.

A Fox News spokeswoman referred an inquiry on Wednesday to a joint statement from the five networks, which Fox co-signed: “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”

Clement Street in San Francisco. A multi-cultural enclave

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.22.2026

One of the busiest streets in the western section of San Francisco is Clement Street. A multi-cultural with a substantial Asian enclave near where the blogger has lived much of his lifetime.

The blogger took a walk on recent foggy morning on a portion of Clement Street and memorialized his excursion with a number of photos.

Clement Street | TCLF

This public street runs from Arguello Boulevard westward through the Richmond district for three miles, ending on a hill at 45th Avenue just before Lands’ End. The street was built as part of the development of the Richmond district, previously sparsely populated terrain known as the “Outside Lands,” a vast stretch of sand dunes beyond city limits.Eager for customers to reach his seaside attractions, including the Sutro Baths, Sutro Gardens, and Cliff House resort, Adolph Sutro underwrote an electric trolley line in 1896 that ran the length of Clement Street, catalyzing its development as a major commercial corridor. A new wave of development followed the 1906 earthquake and fire, as refugees flooded into the area. After World War II, Southeast Asian immigrants began moving to the district en masse, earning it the name of “New Chinatown” among locals. Clement Street’s cultural diversity has long been a defining characteristic of its identity, with demographics shifting over the past century from predominantly Irish-American to Russian, Middle Eastern Jewish, and, later, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai residents.

Clement Street was spared the widening that neighboring Geary Boulevard underwent in the late 1940s, preserving the former’s pedestrian scale. A vibrant, two-way thoroughfare, the street is densely lined by two- and three-story, mixed-use buildings housing a variety of locally owned restaurants, produce markets, shops, and community organizations. Examples of the Classical Revival, Mission Revival, and Italianate architectural styles that once dominated the neighborhood can still be seen, interspersed with twentieth-century buildings.

Gold Star Discount Store where the blogger’s wife has shopped for years.
NO on G SAVE SUNSET DUNES PARK! banner on Clement Street alerts the voters to a crucial November ballot measure
The produce assortment at the Yin Xing Food Co.
The Recology containers stacked for the Monday morning collection
The Donuts shop at 10th Avenue. Years ago it was an ice cream parlor
The Asian food selection piled high at a Clement Street grocery shop
FOR SALE. The hyper real estate market in San Francisco on Clement Street
A dangerous crossing. A mother yacks on her phone while crossing 7th Avenue with her toddler in tow
Green Apple Books was founded by Richard Savoy in 1967 in a pre-1906 building at the corner of Clement Street and Sixth Avenue.[2] In 1996, Green Apple Books acquired its long-time neighbor, Revolver Records.[3] By 2005, the store housed over 250,000 titles, as well as 60,000 available online.[4] Green Apple Books & Music – Wikipedia
An art studio on Clement Street
The now abandoned building at 9th Avenue. It was formerly the Coliseum Theater where the blogger spent many Saturday afternoons during his youth watching movies, munching on popcorn and candy. Later it was a Walgreens outlet. Now shuttered
The foggy Monday morning foot traffic on Clement Street
See’s Candies a Richmond District sweet tooth staple for decades at the corner of 9th Avenue
Hamburger Haven at the corner of 9th Avenue feeding the neighborhood for years
Waiting for the San Francisco Muni bus number 44 at nearby 6th Avenue and Geary Blvd
The brick house. The Richmond District Police Station on 6th Avenue. A block south of Clement Street
Another nearby Clement Street resident
Sign of the times. Sky high fuel prices at the pump on Geary Blvd and Park Presidio. One block south of Clement St.
Opening theme to the movie Beyond Rangoon – conducted by Hans Zimmer

Trump “War on the Press” dangerous and won’t work

SAN FRANCISCO

Lee Heidhues 9.21.2026

Donald Trump is in the wrong country in his dangerous attempt to stifle a free press.

The banishment of CNN, Politico and MSNOW from the White House has unleashed a firestorm.

The most transparent response came today when five networks who share a “pool” to report on Trump pulled the plug. No longer will Trump be able to enjoy unfettered media coverage. The video and audio have been disconnected.

The media organizations have gone into Federal Court seeking a Temporary Restraining Order to block Trump’s childish and petulant action. The hearing is Wednesday.

This is a moment when the American media on all sides of the political spectrum need to stand up and fight and uphold the First Amendment of The Constitution.

PBS News Hour with Committee to Protect Journalists Jodie Ginsberg – 9.21.2026

News outlets Trump banned from White House seek Restraining Order

POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW are seeking a restraining order to restore reporters’ access – 9.21.2026

Three news organizations whose journalists were banned from the White House last week are suing President Donald Trump and three top advisers, calling the abrupt lockout a “direct assault on the First Amendment.”

The organizations filed the suit Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington, which assigned the case to Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee. The news outlets are asking Kelly to quickly rule Trump’s ban unconstitutional and prevent his aides from enforcing it.

POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW said in a joint statement Monday that they are bringing the federal lawsuit in a bid to immediately restore access for their reporters, who were denied entry to the White House complex on Saturday and had their credentials confiscated by the Secret Service.

“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the news organizations said. “Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

News outlets Trump banned from White House file lawsuit – POLITICO