On 1/19/2023, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre squabbled with NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander over her repeated dodges against questions regarding limited details and transparency on the ongoing investigation into President Biden mishandling classified documents. Jean-Pierre repeatedly referred many journalists’ questions to the Justice Department, claiming that they are referred to for every legal matter. However, Alexander pointed out that there is no legal issue with the White House itself commenting, “Can I just follow up on that? We’ve all reached out to the Department of Justice. A law enforcement official tells NBC News the Justice Department has not told the White House that it cannot talk about the facts underlying the Special Counsel investigation into declassified documents. So, trusting you’ve received that same information, understanding the desire to be prudent, then why — why can’t you speak about the underlying facts?

MS. Jean-Pierre: We’ve been very clear when it comes to even underlying facts, when it comes to specifics, when it comes to something that is under the purview that is — that the Department of Justice is looking at, especially legal matters, investigations — we do not comment from here, Peter.

Reporter: Got it.
MS. Jean-Pierre: And that has been consistent.
Reporter: So, understanding that, Bob Bauer, who —
MS. Jean-Pierre: We have been very consistent.

Reporter: — Bob Bauer, who represents the President, his personal attorney, over the weekend said that one of the reasons why — and Ian Sams, your colleague, who represent — who speaks on behalf of the Special Counsel at the White House spoke to this in some form yesterday. But he said one of the reasons why they shouldn’t reveal further details right now was “regular ongoing public disclosures also pose the risk that, as further information develops, answers provided on this periodic basis may be incomplete.”

When the White House did release a statement, the President spoke out on January 9th — the risk of incompletion was a function of the White House’s decision not to share all the information it knew, in fact. Because we knew on November 2nd that the first discovery was made. We knew the second discovery was made on December 20th. So there’s a risk of incompletion. But will you concede that it’s the White House that has been incomplete in its provision of information when it did choose to speak out publicly on January 9th?

MS. Jean-Pierre: So, my colleague actually dealt with this question on the call yesterday — from the White House Counsel’s Office.

Reporter: And he made — he made the same point about —
MS. Jean-Pierre: As you —
Reporter: — the risk of incompletion.
MS. Jean-Pierre: As you — and I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office.

Reporter: Then may I make — then is the White House having any conversations internally about finding someone, much the same way that John Kirby has spoken on behalf of national security issues at this podium, as your colleague, as their representative? Is there someone — is the White House in talks right now to find someone either outside the White House or internally who can speak on behalf of the White House representing the Special Counsel Office within the White House from this podium? Are any of —

MS. Jean-Pierre: I would —
Reporter: — those talks in —
MS. Jean-Pierre: I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office.
Reporter: Well, but you’re the communications —
MS. Jean-Pierre: I — I would —
Reporter: You run the communications —
MS. Jean-Pierre: I — I —
Reporter: — so I’m asking, are you, as a communications matter, having —
MS. Jean-Pierre: We —
Reporter: — playing any part?
MS. Jean-Pierre: There is — you —
Reporter: Are those conversations existing?
MS. Jean-Pierre: Peter, you have spoken to my colleague who did —
Reporter: Yeah.
MS. Jean-Pierre: — again, a 45-minute call with all of you, answering questions about —

Reporter: But on ba- — as you would acknowledge, it’s on background though, Karine, not on the record until the call ends. That means the American people can’t see it in public. So we’re asking —

MS. Jean-Pierre: But many —
Reporter: — will there be a representative who would speak on camera and see it in public?
MS. Jean-Pierre: But — but his — the call was indeed — he was quoted. It was in papers. It was on networks.
Reporter: Correct. But because they can’t witness it happening live, Americans don’t get the same transparency into this back-and-forth. I’m asking —

MS. Jean-Pierre: I think —
Reporter: — would someone —
MS. Jean-Pierre: I think —
Reporter: Is the White House having a conversation —
MS. Jean-Pierre: Peter —
Reporter: — with regard —
MS. Jean-Pierre: Peter —

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No transparency for public, NBC’s Peter Alexander spars with Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden mishandling classified documents