SCOTUSblog Tries to Win Supreme Court Press Credentials After Being Told Not to Bother
SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein has applied for Supreme Court press credentials for his blog after he was previously discouraged from even trying.
SCOTUSblog’s 81-year-old reporter Lyle Denniston has credentials to cover the U.S. Supreme Court because he also reports for WBUR in Boston, according to a New York Times Opinionator column and Poynter. But the blog that received 5.3 million page views on the day of the health law ruling does not have its own permanent press pass.
Goldstein had told Poynter he was previously told SCOTUSblog wouldn’t qualify for the credentials because it doesn’t have broad-based advertising. Another issue was SCOTUSblog’s affiliation with Goldstein’s law firm, the Opinionator says. Only 27 news organizations have permanent court credentials.
SCOTUSblog has taken the first step, which is to seek press credentials to the U.S. Senate’s Daily Press Gallery. Director of the gallery, Joe Keenan, told Poynter his office has the application, though “it will take a while for us to vet it.”
