OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has an unenviable job currently, but her responses are not earning her any sympathy.
On Friday she snapped at reporters who confronted her over the classified documents scandal surrounding President Joe Biden.
CBS News Radio reporter Steven Portnoy took issue with the press secretary’s claim that the Biden administration had been “transparent” on the classified document scandal.
“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,” the press secretary said.
“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,” she said.
Portnoy followed that explanation with a question of his own that the press secretary did not appear to appreciate.
“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?” he said.
“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,” she snapped.
Look, Steven, that's your version of the case" — KJP in response to a loaded question from Steven Portnoy pic.twitter.com/gtNryw672R
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 13, 2023
“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,” the press secretary said.
“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 talk to the White House counsel office. I know you guys have been in touch with my colleagues there,” she said.
“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,” the reporter said.
“No,” the press secretary responded as she moved on to the debt ceiling.
In another part of the press briefing the press secretary said she did not have a “magic wand” to know when President Biden would speak to reporters about the scandal.
“The President has said he hopes to speak about this soon. When can people expect to hear from him about this?” a reporter said.
“Don’t have — again, that’s a — that is — that is something that I can’t — I don’t have a magic wand here. I don’t know when that’s going to happen,” the press secretary said.
“What I can say is: His team is going to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice.
Q: “The president said he hopes to speak about [the improperly stored classified documents] soon. When can people expect to hear from him?”
Karine Jean-Pierre: "I don't have a magic wand" pic.twitter.com/t9N4O7llMd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 13, 2023
“Let’s not forget, the President said during the campaign that when it comes to the Department of Justice independence, he respects that. And that is something that he had said was incredibly important to make sure that they had their independence,” she said.
“That’s why we say we’re going to make sure that they have their independence. And that’s why I’m saying that we’re going to refer to the Department of Justice,” she said.
