NEW: DOJ Now Investigating White House TV Pool Networks for Antitrust Violations After Attempted Boycott of Coverage White House

The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into major TV networks in the White House press pool over potential violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibits anticompetitive business practices and monopolization.

The White House Correspondents’ Association has long come under fire for holding a monopoly on White House coverage, a point originally made by OAN’s Chanel Rion during the first Trump Administration.

CNN has been replaced by Real America’s Voice in the White House television pool several times during high-profile events and Trump’s trips on Air Force One since last month.

(VIDEO) CNN Replaced by Real America’s Voice on Air Force One Again – MS Now Has Lying Meltdown Threatening Boycott of Trump Coverage

Trump has blocked CNN from accessing Air Force One several times since attempting to ban CNN, MS Now, and Politico from accessing the White House.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a temporary restraining order reinstating their access to the White House grounds after the three outlets sued.

In the ongoing lawsuit, the outlets are now asking U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly for a preliminary injunction to extend their access to the White House until the case is resolved, as well as seeking restoration of their access to the President on Air Force One. On Thursday, Kelly temporarily extended his TRO until Tuesday, when he plans to make a final determination.

Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN initially banded together to boycott coverage of the President. They later decided to resume coverage, but only if one of the major networks was slated to provide a television pool feed. They have continued their refusal to cover the President when Real America’s Voice is in the Pool instead of a mainstream media network.

The boycotts may have violated the Sherman Act, the Department of Justice said. The act prohibits businesses from conspiring with others to monopolize trade or commerce.

“Members of the television press pool have proudly boycotted covering White House events. Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” a DOJ spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws.”

Per the New York Times:

Officials from the Justice Department contacted networks on Friday and demanded communications and materials related to the White House TV pool, the people said. The pool is a longstanding system where the networks share the responsibility of providing footage of the president and distributing it to other news outlets.

Last month, the networks collectively suspended their pool footage of Mr. Trump for several days after the president barred CNN journalists from the White House grounds, which prevented CNN from participating in the pool.

The inquiry by the Justice Department is a profound escalation of the Trump administration’s ongoing battles with the White House press corps. It also follows a pattern of the Trump administration using the levers of government against its perceived foes in the media. The Justice Department has subpoenaed reporters from The New York Times and seized a laptop from a Washington Post journalist.

This is a developing story.