Ranking Member Cohen Condemns President Trump’s Statements Attacking the Freedom of the Press

Source: Steve Cohen (D-TN, 9th)

Washington, D.C. - October 13, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today condemned President Trump’s recent tweets challenging the license of NBC and other news networks and his comments attacking the freedom of the press during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office. During the meeting with the Prime Minister, President Trump said, “It is frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write.”

“President’s Trump’s recent statements and tweets attacking the freedom of the press and NBC News are a direct attack on the First Amendment and continue a dangerous pattern of the President undermining the Constitution,” said Congressman Cohen. “James Madison said the ‘freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.’ Yet this President has continued to make statements and act in a way to disrespect and delegitimize the press. He has referred to numerous media outlets as ‘fake news,’ he has called the New York Times the ‘failing New York Times,’ and has called the Washington Post the ‘Amazon Washington Post.’ President Trump retweeted a GIF of himself wrestling the CNN logo and has taken to twitter to attack media personalities such as Mika Brzezinski, Joe Scarborough and Megyn Kelly. He excluded American journalists from covering his meeting with the Russian Ambassador and Foreign Minister and has limited video and audio access to White House press briefings. President Trump even went as far as to call the press ‘the enemy of the American people.’ President Trump’s reckless, authoritarian-like attacks on the legitimacy and accuracy of the press are alarming. Attacks on the press, along with attacks on the courts, are the first signs of fascism. Keeping the citizenry informed with accurate information about government actions is vital for the effective functioning of democratic government and for ensuring the ultimate sovereignty of the people over their leaders.”

About the Main Stream Media

Trump and the Main Stream Media seem to be at war with one another. As the editor of The Ponder, I am totally in favor of Freedom of the Press. It's just too bad that the Main Stream Media has more money to spend spreading their lies with the freedom they have than the small media that doesn't have as much financial support to tell the truth.

Below are more statements and information about this "war" (keep checking back for updates!)

House Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH, 13th):

"As an elected official in Ohio for over 17 years, I certainly have not appreciated every news article or story that has been published in the media. But after hearing President Trump's tirade last night, I believe it is necessary for public officials to state clearly and unequivocally that a free press is essential to the functioning of our democracy. It isn't always fun to have the scrutiny of the press analyzing and critiquing our policies, our initiatives, and even our personalities. But it is exactly that friction that forces elected officials to answer publicly those who question certain ideas and policies.

"A free press gives voice to a free people. If we can't fiercely and articulately defend our positions and policies publicly then those ideas won't, and shouldn't, become the law of the land. That is why President Trump feels the need to lash out at the press every chance he gets. They are constantly shedding light on his hyperbole, his hypocrisies, his misrepresentations and his ever more increasing falsehoods.

"Our system isn't perfect, social media has gotten a bit out of control, making political discourse a lot noisier. But the alternative is the secretive, government controlled media system that we see in Russia, China, and developing countries around the world where power brokers are able to operate in the shadows and against the interests of their own people. If President Trump does not like the free press, what would he have in its place?"

Statement by The Ponder Editor Concerning Trump Bodyslam of CNN

I am about to say something very unpopular, but I don't care. Just because it is unpopular doesn't make it any less the truth:

CNN is astounded at a Trump video that depicts him body slamming CNN. Other Journalists have feigned being shocked along with CNN, accusing Trump of inciting violence against the media.

That is simply not true. He has, however, been shown on CNN in videos that beheaded and tortured him. So, what is wrong with him fighting back?

The DC article I read is quoted as saying: “Around the world, journalists are murdered with impunity on a regular basis,” Poynter managing editor Ben Mullin gravely stated. “This isn’t funny.”

It isn't funny when a certain news organization concentrates all of it's efforts on destroying our President, either. How many other Presidents has it destroyed with lies and fake news? How many other PEOPLE?

The thing is, for CNN to cry out for freedom of speech, and then decry it because it was used against them is justice...pure and simple.

I, for one, am cheering that body slam on!

Signed, a very strong supporter of Freedom of the Press -- providing that EVERYONE, including the President, has it.

Shonda M. Ponder, editor
The Ponder News