OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
An ethics organization is redoubling efforts to call on the Biden administration to be the “most transparent in history” by released all ethics documents in relation to new White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre as well as her discussions with ethics officials regarding conflicts of interest involving her domestic partner, who is a CNN journalist.
Jean-Pierre is scheduled to take over for outgoing Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who created a stir of her own when news broke that she is leaving for a position at another network. Jean-Pierre served as deputy press secretary under Psaki.
But the ethics group notes that Jean-Pierre’s domestic partner is CNN’s national correspondent Suzanne Malveaux and the two of them share a seven-year-old daughter, Soleil.
“There are now questions over whether the network embroiled in months of scandal will offer impartial coverage and there is still mounting criticism over Psaki’s potential move to MSNBC when she leaves the White House as press secretary next week,” the Daily Mail reported.
“Restrictions regarding conflicts of interest for political appointees are imputed on the appointee’s spouse,” Michael Chamberlain, Director of ethics watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust, told DailyMail.com on Friday.
“Regardless of the legal status of her relationship with Malveaux, given Jean-Pierre’s unique role with the media, this certainly presents the appearance of a potential conflict of interest,” Chamberlain continued.
“If the Biden Administration is going to be true to their pledges to be the most ethical and most transparent in history, they should feel an obligation to go beyond the minimum legal requirements for disclosure and release all of Ms. Jean-Pierre’s ethics documents as well as the related conversations with ethics officials,” he continued.
“Protect the Public’s Trust called for this transparency with respect to Ms. Psaki’s post-government employment search as well,” Chamberlain concluded.
The Daily Mail adds:
While the trailblazing and historic nature of her appointment was being celebrated by many – Jean-Pierre is the first black woman and first openly gay person to do the job – others were alarmed by conflicts of interest.
The network has had to weather the firing of Chris Cuomo in December over his involvement in brother Andrew Cuomo’s sex harassment scandal and then two months later dumped network president Jeff Zucker over his secret romance with CNN co-worker Allison Gollust.
Juwan Holmes, the associate editor of online magazine LGBTQ Nation, noted the publication has spent the past two years covering Jean-Pierre and her work and added that he foresaw the conflict of interest concerns.
‘I’m sure there won’t be Cuomo-level conflict of interest violations but expect it to have it brought up in the future,” he said, according to the Daily Mail
Other media figures and critics nevertheless slammed the administration for what they see an obvious misstep.
“This is one of many examples of the corporate media LITERALLY in bed with the government it covers,” tweeted Alex Marlow, editor-in-chief of Breitbart.
As I reported in Breaking the News, Karine Jean-Pierre is married to CNN anchor and national correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.
This is one of many examples of the corporate media LITERALLY in bed with the government it covers. https://t.co/TIfOxLywSH
— Alex Marlow (@AlexMarlow) May 5, 2022
Naturally, both President Joe Biden and Psaki are standing by Jean-Pierre, touting her qualifications for the job rather than addressing any conflict of interest concerns.
“Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris Administration on behalf of the American people,” Biden said in a statement earlier this week after announcing she would replace Psaki.
“I just want to take the opportunity to celebrate and congratulate my friend, my colleague, my partner in truth Karine Jean-Pierre, the next White House Press Secretary,” Psaki said from the White House briefing room podium on Thursday.
“Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room,’ Biden added. “I want to say thank you to Jen for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humor while doing so.”
