UPDATED, with WHCA comment: Veteran and former journalists are renewing their calls on the White House Correspondents’ Association to speak out on the Trump administration’s attacks on reporters and press freedom when he attends its rescheduled dinner on Friday.

A letter to the WHCA, organized by former ABC News correspondent Lisa Stark and executive producer Ian Cameron, reiterates earlier calls to condemn the president’s attacks on the news media. More than 500 veteran and former journalists signed on to a letter in advance of the April dinner.

The April event, though, was ended abruptly after a gunman attempted to enter the Washington Hilton ballroom by breaching a security checkpoint, with a Secret Service agent struck by a bullet into his protective vest. The gunman, Cole Tomas Allen pleaded not guilty to a series of charges, including attempted assassination of the president.

“Since that evening, the administration’s attacks on journalists and press freedom have become even more egregious,” the new letter to the WHCA stated. “The President’s Department of Justice has subpoenaed journalists and their phone records. President Trump has threatened to revoke licenses of broadcasters who refuse to acquiesce to his demands.”

The letter called on the WHCA to “forcefully stand up for freedom of the press in front of the President, publicly defend the journalists he attacks, and vow to resist his administration’s concerted effort to
undermine the First Amendment.”

Among other things, they cited the Justice Department’s subpoenas to New York Times journalists after they reported on the lack of security features on the new Air Force One, a retrofitted 747 that was a gift from Qatar. The FCC has ordered ABC stations to seek early renewals of broadcast licenses, in what the network called a threat to the First Amendment. The FCC said that the early renewal was related to an investigation of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices, but it came after Trump called on the network to fire Jimmy Kimmel over one of his jokes.

Among the organizations signing on to the letter in April were the Society for Professional Journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Coalition of Women in Journalism, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the Media & Democracy Project.

The WHCA said in a statement, “The White House Correspondents’ Dinner exists because the First Amendment matters most when it’s under pressure. As we continue to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, our choice to gather as journalists, newsmakers and the president in the same room is a reminder of what a free press means to this country — and why it must endure. Not for the media or the president, but for the people who depend on it.”

The dinner, to be held at a smaller venue at the Waldorf Astoria, is scheduled to include remarks from Trump, presentation of awards and scholarships, and entertainment from Oz Pearlman. The WHCA announced that special awards will be presented to Victor Gonzales, the Secret Service officer, and to the staff of the Washington Hilton.

This post was corrected to reflect that the WHCA dinner will be held at the Waldorf Astoria.

The complete letter is below:

To the Officers, Board of Directors, and Members of the White House Correspondents’
Association (WHCA):

In April, hundreds of veteran journalists called on the White House Correspondents’
Association to use its Correspondents’ Dinner to forcefully oppose the Trump
administration’s attacks on journalists and on freedom of the press.

The WHCA rescheduled the dinner for this Friday, July 24th, after a gunman brought an
abrupt and terrifying end to the April event.

Since that evening, the administration’s attacks on journalists and press freedom have
become even more egregious. The President’s Department of Justice has
subpoenaed journalists and their phone records. President Trump has threatened to
revoke licenses of broadcasters who refuse to acquiesce to his demands.

Yet, the White House Correspondents’ Association still plans on hosting the President
at its rescheduled dinner.

Our message to the White House Correspondents’ Association is now more urgent:
forcefully stand up for freedom of the press in front of the President, publicly defend the
journalists he attacks, and vow to resist his administration’s concerted effort to
undermine the First Amendment.

WHCA President Weijia Jiang says the dinner’s purpose is “to celebrate the First
Amendment and the hard daily work of the journalists who defend it.”

We believe it is hypocritical to celebrate the First Amendment in front of the man who
relentlessly attacks it. We urge the WHCA to condemn the administration’s actions from
the podium and pledge to fight all attempts by his administration to undermine this core
pillar of a functioning democracy.

Recent Trump Administration Attacks on Freedom of the Press