White House press secretary dodges classified docs question
Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn't say whether more classified documents have yet to be recovered.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged and struggled through several questions regarding President Biden’s classified documents scandal during her press briefing on Tuesday.
In particular, Jean-Pierre was grilled on her past comments that the search for additional classified documents was completed on Friday only for new documents to be discovered on Saturday.
She was pressed repeatedly on this topic and continued to refer reporters to White House counsel while denying that she hid or misled the media.
"I have been forthcoming from this podium," Jean-Pierre responded. "What I said yesterday was what the statement at the time was–what we all had. You all had the statement, and I was repeating what the counsel was sharing at that time."
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 17, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis (Reuters)
Jean-Pierre's repeated refusal to provide clear answers was slammed and mocked on Twitter as further proof of her inability to serve as a press secretary.
"Well this is 100 percent false," Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., tweeted in response to Jean-Pierre saying, "I have been forthcoming."
"She's a liar of the first order. Finally about time the media noticed," National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker wrote.
Comedian Tim Young joked, "Why does Karine Jean-Pierre even bother to hold press briefings if she isn't going to answer any questions at all?"
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre talks to reporters during the daily news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on September 28, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Daily Wire senior writer Ryan Saavedra declared, "Karine Jean-Pierre is the Kamala Harris of press secretaries."
"Shorter White House— WH Thursday: The search for documents is complete. WH Saturday: Ok, so we found more documents. WH Tuesday: We can't say whether the search is complete," Townhall.com managing editor Spencer Brown explained.
GOP deputy comms director Nathan Brand tweeted, "What is the shelf life of a statement from Karine Jean-Pierre before it turns out to be false?"
Over the past week, Jean-Pierre avoided questions over the classified documents found in Biden’s Delaware home, including whether or not she was aware of the documents originally discovered in November.
By Wednesday, Jean-Pierre clashed with CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe over her refusal to answer these questions.
CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe sparred with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the press briefing on Jan. 11, 2023. (Screenshots/White House )
"So, you're the one here talking to us about this. That's why we're asking you. So let's just remember that," O'Keefe said to Jean-Pierre.
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"Ed, Ed, Ed, we don't need to have this – we work very well together," Jean-Pierre interrupted. "We don't need to have this kind of confrontation. Ask your question and I will answer them the best that I can."