Bill Shine may have once been the co-president of Fox News, but that doesn’t mean the network will always stand by him.
Fox News’ president slammed Donald Trump’s new communications director after Shine blocked a CNN correspondent from an event for asking tough questions.
‘We stand in strong solidarity with CNN for the right to full access for our journalists as part of a free and unfettered press,’ Jay Wallace said in a statement.
Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier also released a statement of support to Kaitlan Collins, the banned CNN reporter, on his show Wednesday night.
Fox New has slammed Bill Shine, Donald Trump’s new communications director, after the network’s former co-president blocked a CNN correspondent from an event
Banned: Kaitlan Collins was told by Bill Shine, 55, Trump’s new communications supremo, that she could not attend an event open to everyone because she asked ‘inappropriate’ questions in the Oval Office and was ‘shouting’. She rejects both claims. Shine left Fox News and has been questioned by a federal grand jury under subpoena
‘As a member of the White House press pool, Fox stands firmly with CNN on this issue of access,’ he said.
Collins got called to Shine’s new West Wing office soon after the staff announced a surprise press event in the Rose Garden, where Trump spoke about talks to avert a trade war with the European Union – without taking any questions.
‘They said “You are dis-invited from the press availability in the Rose Garden today”’, Collins told CNN.
‘They said that the questions I asked were inappropriate for that venue. And they said I was shouting.’
Collins said she responded: ‘You’re banning me from an event because you didn’t like the questions I asked.’
Collins can be heard on videotape voicing a series of questions to Trump, as reporters routinely do during events where Trump is seated near world leaders.
She asked about former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who can be heard on a tape leaked to CNN talking with the president about a payment relating to a Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Trump.
‘Did Michael Cohen betray you, Mr President?’ Collins asked.
‘Mr President, are you worried about what Michael Cohen is about to say to the prosecutors? Are you worried about what is on the other tapes, Mr President?’
Room where it happened: This was the Oval Office ‘pool spray’ which prompted the claim that Collins ‘shouted’ and asked ‘inappropriate questions’. She says she acted like every other network reporter in the same situation
CNN released a statement slamming Shine’s treatment of Collins.
‘Just because the White House is uncomfortable with a question regarding the news of the day doesn’t mean the question isn’t relevant and shouldn’t be asked,’ the network said.
‘This decision to bar a member of the press is retaliatory in nature and not indicative of an open and free press. We demand better.’
The White House Correspondents Association also blasted Shine’s decision.
‘We strongly condemn the White House’s misguided and inappropriate decision today to bar one of our members from an open press event after she asked questions they did not like,’ said WHCA president Olivier Knox.
‘This type of retaliation is wholly inappropriate, wrong-headed, and weak. It cannot stand.’
‘Reporters asking questions of powerful government officials, up to and including the President, helps hold those people accountable. In our republic, the WHCA supports the prerogative of all reporters to do their jobs without fear of reprisal from the government.’access for our journalists as part of a free and unfettered press.’
Huffington Post’s Ryan Reilly said that deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley was also involved.
‘Hogan Gidley asked reporters where Kaitlan was as the press pool lined up for the press conference. Heard him say something to her colleagues about her not wanting to miss this. Quite a little stunt they pulled there,’ Reilly tweeted.
Gidley and Shine were seen together pointing at journalists just before the Rose Garden event.
Banned from here: Trump spoke alongside Jean-Claude Juncker in the Rose Garden and took no questions. THe event was open to all reporters but Collins was banned by Bill Shine
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has since claimed that Collins ‘refused to leave’ the Oval Office at the conclusion of a press event.
‘Subsequently, our staff informed her she was not welcome to participate in the next event, but made clear that any other journalist from her network could attend,’ Sanders claimed.
‘She said it didn’t matter to her because she hadn’t planned to be there anyway. To be clear, we support a free press and ask that everyone be respectful of the presidency and guests at the White House.’
Efforts to play favorites are not unheard of, but trying to keep a network correspondent out of an open press event had no immediate precedent.
An open press event means any reporter admitted to the White House, including some from obscure networks, can attend events.
Trump did not take questions at the trade event although multiple outlets, including CNN and DailyMail.com, shouted questions at him relating to Putin and Cohen – the same topics that earned Collins the ire of the White House.
Wednesday’s controversy marks Shine’s first as Trump’s White House communications director.
Shine was forced out as co-president of Fox News last May for his handling of a slew of sexual harassment scandals surrounding the network’s late CEO Roger Ailes.
The White House’s most recent controversy comes just days after it was revealed that Trump is taking steps to take away security clearances for former Obama-era national security chiefs who have publicly criticized him.
Sanders revealed the plan on Monday, with former CIA chief John Brennan, former FBI director James Comey, and former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe among the names on Trump’s list.
The news received criticism from both parties as many worried the president was attempting to use executive power to silence his critics.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi slammed the potential plan and called it a ‘deflection’ after Trump received intense criticism for his statements at last week’s Helsinki summit.
‘This is so extraordinary,’ Pelosi said on Monday night.
‘The last thing you want in intelligence is partisanship, and we were able to avoid that for so long.’