Jen Psaki Bristles at NPR’s Mara Liasson Over Tax Plan in Biden Build Back Better Bill: ‘How Does It Not Make Sense?’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki got into it with NPR’s Mara Liasson over a tax provision in President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill.

Ms. Psaki briefed reporters on Wednesday and got contentious when Liasson tried to turn one of Biden’s signature promises against him.

“The President has said he wouldn’t sign any tax hikes on people making less than $400,000 a year. Is he also committed to ruling out any tax cuts for people making more than $400,000 a year?” Liasson asked, a reference to the State And Local Tax (SALT) deduction that has been a bone of contention.

“His bar continues to be: He’s not raising taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year,” Psaki said, and while noting that Biden did not propose the provision, “We expect the final legislation will address some of the most unfair results of the 2017 tax law SALT provision, particularly its impact on middle-class taxpayers and the uncertainty it caused.”

And as Psaki said “We, of course, want to cut taxes for people — middle-class families across the…”, Liasson interrupted “Including people who make over $400,000?”

“Again, this is not a proposal that the President proposed himself, but it is something, as you know, that there’s support for different versions of it in Congress. It’s currently being negotiated. Our objective is not raising taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year and cutting costs,” Psaki said.

“But can you explain why a tax cut for someone making more than $400,000 is still somehow commensurate with his values of protecting middle-class people?” Liasson persisted. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Why would he…”

“How does it not — how does it not make sense?” Psaki asked, impatiently.

LIASSON: Why would it be okay to give a tax cut for someone making more than $400,000?

MS. PSAKI: Is that raising taxes on somebody making less than $400,000?

LIASSON: No. So, that’s all you’d promise? Just no tax hikes for somebody under $400,000. Tax cuts for people over that — that’s possible.

MS. PSAKI: I think the totality of the bill, which is the most important piece here, is cutting costs for the American people — for childcare, for eldercare, for healthcare, putting in place a historic universal pre-K program. That’s exactly why the President proposed and is supporting this bill.

He also knows we have small margins in Congress, so there are some components — he didn’t propose the SALT deduction. It’s being discussed right now and negotiated. We’ll see what the final outcome and package looks like.

Watch above via C-Span.

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