CNN's Acosta: 'Government Doesn't Want You to See, Hear What They're Doing'

CNN's senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta on Thursday lashed out at the Trump administration restrictions at a press briefing on Senate Republicans' healthcare bill – angrily tweeting "your government doesn't want you to see and hear what they're doing."

It was the second time this week Acosta ripped into the administration for not allowing recording equipment at a White House news briefing – and came amid criticism of the secrecy in which the Senate version of Obamacare repeal legislation was written.

The WH is holding what is essentially a normal briefing in the briefing room but they aren't allowing cameras to record what's being said. https://t.co/GaOihp44jj

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017

Sure we do "pen and pad" gaggles all the time with various officials. This is different. It's a briefing without the cameras. Why is that? https://t.co/N46FgBtVbr

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017

The reason why is that YOUR government doesn't want YOU to see and hear what they're doing. In the United States of America. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://t.co/34qGRYjXUe

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017

The United States of America should respect the freedom of the press. You know that freedom? It's in the constitution of the USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://t.co/QKGB63WoRj

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017

What would the GOP say if Hillary Clinton were to shut down the cameras in the briefing room? And the media went along with it? https://t.co/c0gKy03tod

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017

Acosta called White House press secretary Sean Spicer "kinda useless" Monday after recording equipment was banned from a news briefing, complaining "it just feels like we're sort of slowly but surely being dragged into what is a new normal in this country, where the president of the United States is allowed to insulate himself from answering hard questions."

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