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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 2 March 2017
Former ABC News employees urge strong stand against Trump

DAVID BAUDER era White House the briefing, Cecilia Vega,
AP Television Writer correspondent Sam asked Spicer why the other
NEW YORK (AP) — More Donaldson and former news organizations were
than 230 former ABC ABC reporters Ken excluded and shared audio
News correspondents, Kashiwahara, Jeanne of the briefing with people
executives and producers Meserve and Lynn Sherr. who weren’t included.
have signed a letter urging Among the executives The White House has said
the network’s current top are four former executive that with space limited
executive to take a firm producers of “World News in Spicer’s office, they
stand against any Trump Tonight” and top leaders included “pool” reporters
administration effort to at “Nightline,” ‘’20/20” and who share information in
curtail press access. “Good Morning America.” instances where there isn’t
The letter, which circulated Prominent news executives enough room for the entire
on a Facebook forum for ex- Rick Kaplan, Bill Lord, Paul press corps.
ABC News employees, was Friedman, Av Westin and In calling for Goldston to
written after White House Tom Yellin signed, along speak out, the letter from
Press Secretary Sean Spicer with documentarian and former ABC Newsers noted
held an informal briefing the late anchor Peter a strong public protest by
last Friday excluding Jennings’ widow, Kayce Dean Baquet, executive
several news organizations Freed Jennings. editor of The New York
that have done stories The letter called last Friday’s Times, and statements by
angering President Donald incident “an alarming new The Wall Street Journal and
Trump and his team. development enacted by Bloomberg that they would
Signees ask ABC News an administration that has not participate in future President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives on Capitol Hill
President James Goldston declared war on respected briefing where reporters are in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, for his address to a joint
to “take a public stand. news outlets.” barred.q session of Congress. Associated Press
Refuse to take part in any Trump has included ABC
future White House briefings News in his labeling of
based on an invitation list media organizations
of who’s in/who’s out.” that are the “enemy of
The petition was due to be the American people”
delivered on Wednesday. and “fake news.” ABC
“We’ve expressed our was included in Spicer’s
concerns to the White briefing last Friday, where
House that it operates access was denied to
in a way that’s open, CNN, The New York Times,
transparent and fair,” Los Angeles Times, Politico
Goldston said Wednesday. and BuzzFeed. Reporters
“And we will continue to from other organizations,
stand with our colleagues including The Associated
who cover the White House Press, USA Today and
and to protest when any Time magazine, refused
government official fails to to attend the briefing in
live up to those standards.” protest.
Signees include Reagan- The ABC News reporter in