New York Times accuses Pentagon of flouting judge’s order blocking its press access policy

The Pentagon has flouted a court order blocking it from enforcing a policy limiting news reporters’ access to the Defence Department’s headquarters, a lawyer for The New York Times asserted on Monday in urging a federal judge to compel the government’s compliance with the 10-day-old order.US District Judge Paul Friedman did not immediately rule from the bench after hearing a second round of arguments from lawyers for the newspaper and the Trump administration.The New York Times claims Pentagon officials have implemented a revised press policy that circumvents the judge’s March 20 ruling.Friedman sided with The New York Times earlier this month in deciding that the Pentagon’s new credential policy violated journalists’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process. He ordered Pentagon officials to reinstate the press credentials of seven Times reporters and stressed that his decision applies to “all regulated parties”.New York Times lawyer Theodore Boutrous said the Pentagon responded to Friedman’s order by imposing a new, revised policy that imposes “radical new restrictions” on journalists.“They’ve only made things worse,” Boutrous said.