Helen Thomas Receives U.S. Government Issued Press Credential

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legendary White House correspondent Helen Thomas, age 92, now a weekly columnist for the Falls Church News-Press, picked up her official U.S. government issued press credential at the Senate Dirksen Building pass issuing office Tuesday, joining News-Press owner Nicholas Benton in obtaining her credential.

The credential, issued by the Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate on behalf of the Senate Periodical Press Association, is for access to the Senate and House press galleries, and also is routinely treated as a bonafide press pass for other events in Washington, D.C., including as a precondition for passes to other agencies and arms of the federal government.

Thomas, after covering the White House and Washington, D.C. for over 50 years, was forced to relinquish her press credentials when she was fired by the Hearst Newspapers last July. Benton hired Thomas in January, convinced that the controversial comments she made leading to her firing last summer were aimed at a political lobby, and not a class of persons.

Upon receipt of her credential Tuesday, Thomas said she was "very happy" and said that in addition to writing her weekly column for the News-Press, which she began in January, that she'll be covering press conferences and other events in the Washington, D.C. area, including periodically returning to the White House for press briefings.

Contact: Nicholas Benton, (703) 532-3267

SOURCE Falls Church News-Press