‘That’s Your Version’: Jean-Pierre Gets Testy With Reporter Asking If White House Tried to Keep Docs Case ‘Private’
Steven Portnoy, who covers the White House for CBS News Radio, asked Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday whether or not the White House wanted to keep the revelations Biden retained classified documents “private.”
Portnoy’s question came as a follow-up to Jean-Pierre claiming the White House has been “transparent” on the issue, an assertion Portnoy took issue with.
“So there’s nothing here, different here. We have said we wanted to restore the independence of the Department of Justice, and that is what you’re seeing. And again, we this has been done in a transparent way when it relates to how this was dealt with, with the Department of Justice and the Archives,” Jean-Pierre said, adding:
The president takes this very, very seriously. Any other questions that you may have about this particular issue? About the review, I would refer you to Department of Justice. You guys have been in touch with my colleagues at the White House Counsel office, and I would suggest that you continue to reach out. Go ahead, Steve. Thanks.
“I just want to push on that point about the idea of disclosures when it’s appropriate. You describe a process, but it sort of feels like a strategy, a communications strategy to protect the president from political damage. Was it the hope and expectation here that this would have remained a private matter and not have been subject to public disclosure?” Portnoy asked, alluding to a kind of cover-up.
“Look, Steven, that’s your version of the case. I’ve been very clear here and I’ve answered that question multiple times in different versions, right, in the last couple of days,” Jean-Pierre replied, adding:
Look, I want to be very clear. There is a process here. We are going to respect the process. This is all part of the department, just Department of Justice process. And we are cooperating fully. We are cooperating fully in this process. And again, the president believes that the Justice Department and its independence needs, needed to be restored. That’s what you’ve seen under this administration the last two year, two years.
And I want to be consistent in what I’m saying. I want to be prudent in what I’m saying when I say that we are going to defer any questions related to this to the Department of Justice and any other items that you have. If you don’t want to talk to the Department of Justice, you’re free to to talk to the White House counsel office. I know you guys have been in touch with my colleagues there.
“We have done both, but let me just ask you, because oftentimes in the careers of White House press secretaries, that becomes there comes a time where they are asked, you know, what they knew and when they knew it, were you or any member of your staff involved in the crafting of a strategy as to when this disclosure should be made in advance of CBS News breaking the story on Monday,” Portnoy followed-up.
“No,” Jean-Pierre replied as the briefing moved on to discuss the debt ceiling.
Watch the full clip above via CNN
