DOJ says it's investigating whether White House TV pool's coverage halt violated antitrust law

What happened: The DOJ is investigating whether the White House television press pool's halt of presidential coverage last month violated antitrust law, a spokesperson said Saturday. Key numbers: Five broadcasters (ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC) stopped coverage; CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred, sued, and won a reprieve in place until Tuesday. Why it matters: A DOJ spokesperson said group boycotts among competitors may violate U.S. law. CPJ's Jose Zamora criticized the investigation, saying antitrust probes should not intimidate outlets defending press access. Coverage: 3 outlets in 24h

The DOJ is investigating whether the White House television press pool's halt of presidential coverage last month violated antitrust law, a spokesperson said Saturday.

A DOJ spokesperson said group boycotts among competitors may violate U.S. law. CPJ's Jose Zamora criticized the investigation, saying antitrust probes should not intimidate outlets defending press access.