On 1/13/2023, White House reporters continued to grilled Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the classified documents found in Joe Biden’s garage. It was revealed this week that Joe Biden improperly stored classified documents in his garage next to his Corvette. A reporter asked Jean-Pierre, “So there’s nothing to it being announced today amid the situation that the White House is facing?”
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would — I would refer you to Department of Treasury.
And just to be very clear here, Ed, we have — I’ve been in here almost every day since we got back from Mexico City, standing here, taking your questions at length. So, we’re not avoiding anything here. And you’ve heard —
Reporter: No, you’re not. You’re here.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — you’ve heard — you’ve heard from the President at least twice. And you — we have put forth multiple statements from the White House Counsel’s Office. So, that suggestion, I just disagree with.
Reporter: One of the things that they have finally confirmed for us is that Bob Bauer is indeed the President’s personal attorney handling some of this. Given that the Justice Department cited the personal counsel as having made this initial outreach to National Archives and that has been in touch with the Justice Department, is that the person who these questions should be directed to? Why the White House Counsel?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I will say this again: I would — whatever the White House Counsel, my colleague told you in your conversation — I know you guys just spoke, or connected, earlier today — I would ask them that question.
Reporter: And as — but, as far as you know, is it ever okay for classified documents to be mixed with personal effects?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can say — look, what I can say is what the President has said before, what I have said multiple times. We take this very seriously. The President takes a classified information, classified documents very seriously … so, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to refer you to Department of Justice.
Reporter: Just to be clear: You’re confident he followed whatever protocol was in place?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, this is something that he takes very seriously — the President — when it comes to classified documents, when it comes to classified information. I’m not going to go into any specifics from here.
Reporter: I wanted to follow up on a few things from yesterday. When was the President informed about the Attorney General’s decision to appoint a special counsel? How and by whom?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I — the specifics on that, I can tell — here’s what I can tell you: I can tell you that we were not given a heads up … I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office.
Reporter: I have two questions on the meeting with the Prime Minister. But just briefly on the documents: We have seen online propaganda from adversaries seeking to take advantage from this revolut- — revelation.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m sorry, can you say — can you go back a little bit?
Reporter: Sure.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Who’s see- — who’s seeking to take advantage?
Reporter: We have seen online propaganda from adversaries seeking to take advantage of the revelation of the classified documents. I wonder if you can share with us whether the administration is anticipating any kind of national security implications from this fallout? Are you hearing any kind of intelligence? And are you doing anything to deter those threats?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, I’m just not going to talk about any intelligence from here. I would certainly — anything that’s related to this, I would refer you to the Department of Justice.
Reporter: You’ve several times today referred people to the White House Counsel for questions about the process and the review. Would you bring Richard Sauber here or someone from his team to answer these questions in the briefing room in a
formal capacity?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the White House Counsel’s Office has provided information on this … if there is something specific to — to this that you want from us, I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office.
Reporter: And is the White House concerned that this investigation is going to overshadow what you are trying to do right now, what your message is right now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, our message is very clear and it will continue to — to be just that. And you’ve seen it. That’s why when I started the briefing, I laid out all of the — all of the kind of progress that we have made just this week alone — when you think about the Inflation Reduction Act,
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KJP insists Transparent but Refuses To Answer Questions; All refer to White House Counsel