OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre is having her feet held to the fire as more information is learned about how Twitter buried the Hunter Biden laptop story.
New York Post White House Correspondent Steven Nelson grilled her on the Twitter Files and how the Hunter Biden laptop story was buried before asking if the Bien administration had any involvement with censoring tweets.
“Okay. Then on Twitter, Elon Musk this week fired the former FBI general counsel, Jim Baker, who was serving as a top Twitter lawyer. Musk alleges that he may have been involved with countermanding his attempts at transparency. And I was wondering if anyone in the Biden administration was in touch with Baker, either regarding moderation decisions that critics call “political censorship” or regarding his transparency efforts recently,” the reporter said.
“So, it’s up to private companies to make these types of decisions. We were not involved. I can say that. We were not involved,” the press secretary responded.
“And as I’ve said several times this week already, we’ve talked — we’ve had this conversation many times in this briefing room just the past couple of days. You know, of course, it’s up to these companies to make their own decisions about the content on their platform and to ensure content flows their on standards and — on their own standards and policies. Don’t have anything more to share,” she said.
“Just very briefly on the not involved — not involved in speaking with Baker about this transparency effort by Musk. Is that what you’re saying, that the Biden administration wasn’t involved with that?” the reporter said.
“We were just — we were just not involved. Just answering your question: We were not involved,” she said.
It comes days after the press secretary snapped at Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich after she accused the reporter of “mischaracterizing” her comments about Twitter with Elon Musk as the CEO.
“Real fast, Karine? Just real quick, on Twitter, because you guys said you’re keeping a close eye on Elon Musk’s ownership. And I’ve — this is the first time we’ve talked to you since he released the files a few days ago. Is it the White House view that decisions at Twitter were made appropriately in terms of decisions to censor this reporting ahead of the election?” the reporter said.
“Let me — you see — you mischaracterize, actually, what I — what I actually said, and took it out of context when you asked your question,” the press secretary snapped back.
“Look, when I answered the question — and I already — I actually already addressed this — about how the White House and the administration is seeing what’s happening on Twitter, we were — we follow also what’s going on just like you guys are reporting it, just like you guys are seeing,” she said.
“And what I was commenting to is like, yes, we’re seeing what is happening, just like you all are seeing what’s happening with Twitter. So, just want to clear that up because you definitely mischaracterized what I said or put it out of context.
“And so, can you ask your question again?” she said.
In November during a White House press briefing a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if the administration was monitoring the situation at Twitter for “misinformation.”
“Just a question about Twitter. You know, there’s a researcher at Stanford who says that this is a critical moment, really, in terms of ensuring that Twitter does not become a vector for misinformation. I mean, are you concerned about the — you know, Elon Musk says there are more and more subscribers coming online? Are you concerned about that? And what tools do you have? Who is it at the White House that is really keeping track of this?” Reuters reporter Andrea Shalalsaid.
“So, look, this is something that we’re certainly keeping an eye on. And, look, we — you know, we have always been very clear and — that when it comes to social media platforms, it is their responsibility to make sure that when it comes to misinformation, when we — when it comes to the hate that we’re seeing, that they take action, that they continue to take action,” the press secretary said.
“Again, we’re all keeping a close eye on this. We’re all monitoring what’s — what’s currently occurring. And we see — you know, we see it with our own eyes of what you all are reporting and, just for ourselves, what’s happening on Twitter,” she said.
