I felt the need to hurry up with this column before the Congress passes a modernized version of the Sedition Act.
A little history: the Sedition Act of 1798 was passed just seven years after the adoption of the First Amendment which constitutionalized free speech protections. The act made it illegal to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government, Congress, or the President. Notably, the act ignominiously died two years later.
Much like the Federalist Party wanted to suppress speech critical of President John Adams and his administration, the Republican Party may be pressured to suppress speech critical of President Donald Trump and his administration.
The hand writing is on the Truth Social wall.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW…and Politico…from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS! Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow….President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
(Even Fox News objected to this.)
Now that a federal judge has issued a TRO undoing the ban, the likelihood Trump seeks Sedition Act legislation in Congress escalates.
All this follows Trump saying that news critical of him is “almost treasonous, actually.”
It also follows vigorous tactics by Trump and his top administrators to deploy the might of the federal government against comedians and talk show hosts (and the corporate entities behind them) who are critical of the president e.g., FCC Chair Brendan Carr threated action against ABC over a Jimmy Kimmel segment.
It follows labeling peaceful dissenters as domestic terrorists, prosecuting nonviolent demonstrators, defunding liberal universities, investigations of targeted nonprofit groups, and others who have opposed the President or his initiatives.
It follows the sacking of alleged “disloyal” employees across government agencies, exemplified by targeted firings in the Departments of Justice, Defense, and Health and Human Services.
Then there are the truth management progenitors of criticism – the tailored truths, half-truths, and false truths – from the White House on down, demonstrated by claims that the MMR vaccine is “quite lethal,” that Ukraine started the war with Russia, that a BLS commissioner rigged job growth numbers, etc.
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy” – Proverbs 12:22.
Crawford is an author and syndicated columnist from Jackson.
29 comments:
“I felt the need to hurry up with this column before the Congress passes a modernized version of the Sedition Act.”
No, dork. You don’t. This is just more pearl-clutching from you and your hyper-emotional side.
Did you have a problem when Obama selectively chose his press pool? I’m sure you didn’t.
Add to it all the “media” and “news outlets” that puts liberal agendas and interests on their front page and ignores anything conservative? Don’t Big Mike get on the cover of Vanity Fair while Mrs Trump (and actual model, not an ogre) was ignored?
Bill is once again in over his head. What a dolt.
Crawford had no problem with the Biden administration pressuring Facebook, META. He is obviously very selective with his view of who is allowed to block free speech. Typical Dem.
10:04 no Bill Crawford did not have a problem when Obama did it because Bill Crawford is a propagandist tool of the left.
Bill Crawford hypocrisy literally has ZERO boundaries.
The press is the ENEMY of the people. Do as Trump says and we won't have any problems. Anyone else should be deported to the shittiest dump in Africa. Where all the democrats come from.
Crawford is an AI bot that exists to get clicks.
Why shouldn't the president be allowed to bar reporters who have repeat published lies about him? Has everyone forgotten the whole Russia thing? Have they forgotten what was put out be some reporters? I noticed since it has been proven who cooked up the whole truck load of lies that democrats have suddenly lost interest in who started the whole thing.
YAWN. Crawford does his predictable thing and MAGAs crap their panties.
Fox Entertainment a/k/a "News" has repeatedly lied. Ask Fox about its settlement with Dominion.
Maybe I'm wrong here, but I don't think the Constitution or The Bill of Rights guarantees a press pass to a presidential press conference. Biased or stupid reporting is allowable but consistent errors or lying pretty much will get you thrown out anywhere.
@1:17
Kamala’s husband was on the Dominion board and Fox lost that lawsuit in an Obama appointed court during the treasonous and illegitmate Biden administration.
Cable news sucks regardless.
Not surprising,but scary, that the comments so far on this column are all by folks who have the true TDS - Trump Denial Syndrome; unwilling to accept anything being said about Trump that is not praise and sanctifying him as an Emperor
Actually, Crawford is right on point this time. The Sedation Act created by the Federalist Party and its leader, President John Adams, made illegal 'uttering or publishing anything false, scandalous, or malicious) about the Government, President, the Administration or the Congress (but did not include the Vice President because at that time the Pres and VP were elected separately and Vice President Thomas President was one of the perpetrators of the negative writings) would land one in jail. Two years later, following the defeat of Adams making him one of the few presidents who ran for reelection to not succeed, this Act was allowed to expire along with Adam's Presidency.
The one thing different from Adams' attempt to override the First Amendment and Trump's stupid recent action was that at least Adams required the uttering to be false or malicious. Trump stated (although he had to backtrack once his advisors read the midnight X posting and change the basis) that these folks were not being nice and reporting nice things about him.
The said truth is that is all that it is about; Trump cannot stand anyone not praising him, proclaiming him as being the best. Hell, he even required the attendees at his Trumpapallozza Dallas event to Pledge Allegiance to him! Not the the flag; not to the country; but to him, and praise him as being the best President ever. Many of those present, including the ones who paid the $25,000 admission fee or those who took the free tickets given away to try to fill the hall, held their nose while trying to stomach the concept - but they did it anyway,.
The Sedation Act was a good comparison to what Trump is attempting to do today. Unlike the foolishness stated by 11:42 that these reporters have 'repeated published lies about him" or 10:04's claim that Obama did the same thing, which he didn't (although saying we are just as bad as they were is hardly a defense of the actions we do, but I digress). Obama did attempt to exclude a Fox reporter from an interview with an official, but that was not revoking any official press credential.
The Biden administration did require a reapplication to hold official credentials including a few new requirements such as being employed by a news organization and maintaining an address in the DC area - and some 400 reporters did not reapply thus not having full time access. But even that really bad administration did not unilaterally kick out any journalist from the White House for any reason, much less such a baby-crying reason as Trump used here - "they don't write nice things about me"
Obama wiretapped reporters and named reporters as unindicted co-conspirators. Discussion on Bill Maher
"Hell, he even required the attendees at his Trumpapallozza Dallas event to Pledge Allegiance to him!," you were there, and heard this with your own ears?? Be careful, some of us may have been there.
" I don't think the Constitution or The Bill of Rights guarantees a press pass", the first amendment says that congress shall not, nowhere does it address the Executive branch, and the way the Executive branch handles the press.
@1:55 - The case did not go to trial. Fox caved, settled, and voluntarily paid nearly $1B to Dominion because Fox lied. The case settled, honey. People at Fox lost their jobs over it.
"...the first amendment says that congress shall not, nowhere does it address the Executive branch..."
The "Bill of Rights" isn't a list of rights, it is a list of additional restrictions. The 1st Amendment doesn't need to restrict the POTUS from making laws about religion, the press, or anything else. An amendment that listed 1 or million things the POTUS couldn't make a law about would be redundant because the Constitution empowers Congress to make laws, not the President, who is to enforce the laws made by Congress. The POTUS can issue executive orders that direct certain things to the executive branch, but even those are subject to judicial review and Congress' exclusive law-making power.
@4:37 PM, you obviously WEREN'T there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F_UkNm36cU
It’s Sedition ((and not sedation)) but I guess that’s a Freudian slip
You do remember the Russian scam made up by Hillary?
King - have you ever interview the Jackson Prep alum who won the nearly $1 billion settlement against Fox? He's got to be set for life.
To all Trumpsters, tell me one lie the banned media reps have published about Trump.
Trump, or any other chief executive, can invite or disinvite whomever he wants to his press pool. It’s silly horseshit to think otherwise.
2:24 your Trump deranged speech is the scary response.
KF is 10% correct: “Obama wiretapped reporters and named reporters as unindicted co-conspirators.”
Even leftist Bill Maher has the integrity required to acknowledge this.
2:24 PM, don’t be a Trump hating leftist lapdog tool like Bill Crawford.
It’s hard to make up scripture quoting Bill Crawford’s “plank in his own eye” level of hypocrisy.
Every leftard libshit losing their mind over this needs to remember that Congress goes into closed sessions all the time where the CSPAN cameras are shut off and nobody is allowed to hear them plot their tyranny and corruption, all in the name of “national security”
The president doesn't make laws, is surely true, then how has the president taken away anyone's first amendment rights?
If you were trying to make a point, you failed, miserably.
A pledge to vote is what you have a problem with? Talking about straining at gnats, and swollowing camels.
You aren't serious are you?
Dear leader is not to be questioned. Dear leader knows what's best. Do not listen to the lies instead listen to me only. For I know best. *tweeted at 3:45am*
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