White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had a rough start to the week on Monday as she fielded questions about the ongoing classified documents scandal, sticking largely to the boilerplate responses that the White House public relations team had scripted in advance.
Perhaps the most telling moment of the briefing, however, was her refusal to deny that Joe Biden is involved in a coverup.
“The House Oversight Committee Chairman says this document situation has all the makings of a potential coverup,” Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy began. “Is President Biden involved in a coverup?”
One might expect Jean-Pierre to unambiguously and emphatically deny that Biden is involved in a coverup. But that’s not what she did.
DOOCY: "Is President Biden involved in a cover-up?"
KJP: "He takes this very seriously…You asked me kind of a question that everybody laughed at, which was an interesting question to ask…" pic.twitter.com/lbCB4xBzT1
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 23, 2023
“We have been very clear here, from this administration,” she began. “The president has been very clear that he takes this very seriously when it comes to — that — when it comes to classified information, when it comes to classified documents. And that his team has been — has been fully cooperative with this legal matter.”
She then filibustered some more before telling Doocy to refer such questions to White House Counsel.
“Anything else, Peter — and this is — I’m going to be very serious. You asked me, kind of, a question that everybody laughed at, which was an interesting question to ask,” she continued. “But any other — any other underlying questions that you may have, I would refer you to my colleagues, the White House Counsel. I’m going to continue to be prudent. I’m going to be — continue to be consistent, and refer you to — any questions you have there.”
All she had to say was, “no, he’s not involved in a coverup,” and she couldn’t even do that.
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