OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki may have committed an ethics violation recently when she criticized Fox News and its White House correspondent Peter Doocy during a podcast.
The press secretary appeared on “Pod Save America” on Thursday where she took aim at Fox News and Doocy.
POLITICO White House Correspondent Eugene Daniels asked Psaki, “Peter Doocy is a stupid son of a bitch, or does he just play one on TV?”
“He works for a network that provides people with questions that, nothing personal to any individual including Peter Doocy, but might make anyone sound like a stupid son of a bitch,” the press secretary said about Doocy.
Jen Psaki is asked if “Peter Doocy is a stupid son of a bitch or does he just play one on tv:”
“He works for a network that provides people with questions that, nothing personal to any individual including Peter Doocy, but might make anyone sound like a stupid son of a bitch.” pic.twitter.com/2FYMPX12Rr
— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) April 15, 2022
The issue for Psaki is, if reports are correct, she is set to leave the White House and work for the rival MSNBC, which makes using her official position as press secretary to attack another network a violation of ethics, Mediate columnist Colby Hall said.
“For the record, I’ve long felt that Jen Psaki is a master of her job as Press Secretary but also may be the best at the job that we’ve seen in the current 24/7 political media ecosystem. But she is not above criticism. And her comments about why Peter Doocy may or may not come off as a ‘stupid son of a bitch,’ crosses a significant line given her widely reported future plans to join NBC,” he said.
He praised Psaki some more but said that her criticism of Fox News and Doocy, “still crosses a line that many in media were wildly focused on during the Trump administration and how staffers worked closely with Fox News. It was a big deal when say Bill Shine left Fox to go work with Trump, or when news broke of Kayleigh McEnany was reportedly going to join Fox News. Psaki should be held to the very same standard by the media held by Fox News or Trump staffers for the same.
“The bottom line is that Jen Psaki is a government employee who is openly criticizing a media outlet that is the competitor of her future employer. If Psaki has a “handshake deal” to join NBC after she officially leaves the briefing room podium, then she should reasonably be far more circumspect in not just her future briefings, but in any public appearance in which she is asked about competitors of her future employer,” he said.
It was reported this month that Psaki is in talks to leave her current position in the administration of President Joe Biden and head to the cable news network MSNBC a source close to the matter has said.
There has been speculation for months that Psaki would leave the administration for a cable news position, which is not uncommon for former White House communications staffers, Axios reported.
And who would be better equipped to promote the administration’s talking points on national television than someone who has been in that position?
Psaki has been in close consultation with the White House counsel’s office about her departure, according to two sources familiar with the plans. She’s been treading carefully on the ethics and legal aspects of her plans.
No contracts have been signed. Government ethics rules have stipulations about how public employees can pursue private-sector job opportunities while in office.
She’s also told some senior officials at the White House about her departure and her plans to join MSNBC, according to two sources.
Psaki has not yet formally told the White House press team about her departure, an administration source tells Axios.
MSNBC has been working with its compliance lawyers to make sure their conversations didn’t violate any government regulations, according to a source close to the matter.
