CNN filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration after the White House suspended White House correspondent Jim Acosta's 'hard pass' press credential. Acosta clashed with President Donald Trump and a press office intern during a November 7 press conference.

The networks' suit, filed by a team that includes former George W. Bush solicitor general Ted Olson, demands the immediate return of Acosta's credentials. The White House fired back at CNN, one of the president's favorite targets, for 'grandstanding.'

Acosta lost access to the building last Wednesday night, hours after refusing to give up a microphone when the president said he had answered enough of his questions.

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Acosta saw his press credentials rescinded Wednesday after he clashed with an intern over a press conference microphone

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Acosta 'physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern.' That appeared to be softer language than her earlier claim that he placed 'his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job.'

CNN vigorously disputed the implication of anything more than minor physical contact.

Attorneys for CNN sued Tuesday in Washington, D.C. in U.S. District Court.

The network claims the revocation of Acosta's press pass violates the constitutional rights to freedom of the press and due process. CNN is asking for an immediate restraining order to reinstate Acosta's access to the White House.

The suit 'demands the return of the White House credentials of CNN's Chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process,' according to a CNN statement.

'We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process.'

The suit names as defendants Trump, chief of staff John Kelly, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, deputy chief of staff for communications and former Fox News executive Bill Shine, the director of the U.S. Secret Service and the uniformed officer who took away the credentials.

The network is seeking a preliminary injunction. It has already written the White House demanding an end to Acosta's punishment.

The suit was filed by Ted Boutrous, and Olson, of the firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Olivier Knox, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said in a statement that the group 'strongly supports CNN's goal of seeing their correspondent regain a US Secret Service security credential that the White House should not have taken away in the first place.'

Sanders responded: 'We have been advised that CNN has filed a complaint challenging the suspension of Jim Acosta’s hard pass. This is just more grandstanding from CNN, and we will vigorously defend against this lawsuit.'

She continued: 'CNN, who has nearly 50 additional hard pass holders, and Mr. Acosta is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment. After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions—each of which the President answered—he physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions. This was not the first time this reporter has inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters.'

'The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional. The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business,' Sanders concluded.

Acosta was banned from the White House last week after a heated exchange with President Trump during a press conference in which an intern tried to take his microphone away

Acosta, who has frequently clashed with President Trump during persistent questioning, lost access to the White House on Wednesday night

CNN's lawyers say Acosta's First and Fifth Amendment constitutional rights were violated

The White House did not respond on Tuesday to a question about whether Sanders issued the statement in her capacity as a presidential spokesperson or as a named defendant in the lawsuit.

Floyd Abrams, a veteran lawyer and expert in First Amendment law, told CNN's Reliable Sources on Sunday that the network would have a robust case.

'I think it's a really strong lawsuit,' Abrams said.

'I can understand CNN being reluctant to sue because the president keeps saying CNN is the enemy of me, and CNN might have reluctance to have a lawsuit titled "CNN vs.Donald Trump." That said, yes, I think they should sue,' he said.

Former ABC News journalist Sam Donaldson appeared on the program and revealed he had been asked to sign an affidavit in support of CNN's case.

He described the decision to ban Acosta as 'not only wrong and unfair' but also 'dangerous for the press as a whole.'

Even as he had lost his access to the White House, Acosta tweeted a defiant message to Trump from Paris Friday, saying he intended to cover the president's trip there despite being stripped of his access.

The reporter tweeted a view of the Eiffel Tower and said: 'Greetings from Paris where we are on the ground for Trump's trip to France. #1A'

The hashtag was a reference to the first amendment, which prohibits the federal government from curtailing the publishing rights of the press.

Sanders went after Acosta in a White House statement immediately after last Wednesday's incident, and tweeted a video of the encounter that contained sped-up footage that accentuated the minor physical contact and made it look as if Acosta delivered a karate chop to the young woman whom the White House identified as an intern.

One video expert claimed it was doctored to make Acosta's conduct appear more aggressive.

A frame-by-frame comparison with the original clip appeared to show that the one tweeted by Sanders was altered to speed up Acosta's arm movement as he pulled the mic away from her.

The edit was spotted by Abba Shapiro, an independent video producer who examined the footage. Shapiro noticed that frames in the tweeted video didn't match those in the original.

The tweeted video also does not have any audio, which Shapiro said would make it easier to doctor.

'We will not tolerate the inappropriate behavior clearly documented in this video,' Sanders tweeted from her official '@PressSec' account last week.

In her statement announcing Acosta's suspension, Sanders said the White House won't tolerate 'a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job.'

While the origin of the manipulated video is unclear, its distribution marked a new low for an administration that has been criticized for its willingness to mislead.

The White House News Photographers Association decried the sharing of the footage.

'As visual journalists, we know that manipulating images is manipulating truth,' said Whitney Shefte, the association's president.

'It's deceptive, dangerous and unethical. Knowingly sharing manipulated images is equally problematic, particularly when the person sharing them is a representative of our country's highest office with vast influence over public opinion.'

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted the clip to justify the White House's decision to revoke Acosta's press pass

The ACLU responded to the suit with a statement by Ben Wizner, director of the group's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.

'It is un-American and unlawful for the president to expel a reporter from the White House briefing room for doing his job. It shouldn’t take a lawsuit from CNN to remind the president of the First Amendment. The White House should reverse its decision immediately.'