Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producers Raymond Rapada and Ben Johansen. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren After a monthslong review, the White House informed journalists this week that the hard pass renewal process was complete. And several pass holders who didn’t meet the new criteria — including arguably the most controversial figure in the briefing room — won’t be getting new ones. SIMON ATEBA, a correspondent for the website Today News Africa, has gained a level of infamy (and, in conservative media circles, fame) for frequently interrupting the daily briefing by shouting at press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE. Ateba opted against renewing his hard pass, which allows journalists to access the White House campus any time that the security booth is operational. But he also would not have met the new stiffer criteria, which require hard pass holders to demonstrate proof of employment by a Washington-based outlet and to be credentialed by a press gallery in the House, Senate or Supreme Court. Ateba, who was first profiled in West Wing Playbook last December, did not respond to messages seeking his comment. He has yet to post about losing his hard pass, although a tweet pinned to his profile Monday called on followers to show their support “as I face oppression, discrimination and attacks from many sides in my attempt to do my job and report the truth.” He had two asks: “pray for me” and make a donation to support his website via a shared link. It’s not exactly clear what Ateba’s work entails. His tweets and website content are a swirl of posts about events in Africa, some of which appear to have been lifted from other outlets, and issues roiling the American right. He has become something of a cause célèbre in conservative circles. Former Fox News host TUCKER CARLSON and others have amplified his complaints that Jean-Pierre is discriminating against him by not calling on him during briefings (most of his interruptions are about not being called on). His constant disruptions generated weekly reminders from the White House Correspondents’ Association about the need for decorum in the briefing room (after the organization threatened to revoke his membership due to his frequent outbursts, Ateba opted not to renew that, too). But it’s also gotten him exposure. Ateba has been the subject of recent profiles by the Washington Post and New York Times, which highlighted his shouting and accusations but offered light skepticism about the legitimacy of his website (he has refused to answer questions about its funding or operations). Neither outlet mentioned his litany of bizarre and misogynistic blog postings, which had been noted for West Wing Playbook readers. In a tweet nearly a month ago, Ateba suggested — without evidence — that the Post "was ordered to do a hit job" on him to give the White House cover for not renewing his hard pass. At the same time, he noted the Senate press gallery had yet to approve his credential request and speculated — again, without evidence — that there could be "some coordination" between it and the White House. Ateba called the NYT profile “a hit piece on me” but also shared it with his Twitter followers using a gift link. Under the White House’s revised policy, not having a hard pass won’t prevent Ateba from attending press briefings. He’ll just have to submit his personal information — required to clear security — to the White House on a daily basis. A White House spokesperson said the revamped hard pass criteria wasn’t about revoking any individual’s credential but about ensuring those who hold them are actively working the beat. “At the time we initiated this process in early May, roughly 40 percent of hard pass holders had not accessed the White House complex in the prior 90 days,” the spokesperson said. Within the past three months, the number of hard pass holders dropped from 1417 to 975, with those approved reflecting a mix of renewals and new applications. Only one individual who applied under the new criteria was denied a pass, said the spokesperson, who did not identify that journalist. “We think this demonstrates we’ve led a thoughtful and thorough process that preserves robust media access to campus for everyone who needs it – whether that be with a hard pass or a day pass,” the spokesperson added. MESSAGE US — Are you DREW RODRIGUEZ, special adviser to the first lady? What’s in that beach bag? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
| 
