'Handing the Keys of Oversight': Jean-Pierre Attacks Greene, Gosar and Boebert's Committee Seats (January 18, 2023)

In January 2023, with Republicans newly in charge of the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy put Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Lauren Boebert of Colorado on the House Oversight Committee, the panel that went on to investigate the Biden family’s business dealings [2][5]. The White House fired back. White House spokesperson Ian Sams accused Republicans of “handing the keys of oversight to the most extreme MAGA members of the Republican caucus who promote violent rhetoric and dangerous conspiracy theories,” Fox News reported [2]. At that day’s briefing, a reporter read the statement aloud and asked press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre whether the White House even viewed the committee as legitimate [1].

The video above shows that exchange from the Jan. 18, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

Key Moments

”Does the White House view the Oversight Committee as even legitimate?”

The reporter read the statement aloud and asked: “Given the statement, does the White House view the Oversight Committee as even legitimate?” Jean-Pierre began: “The President intends to work with both parties in good faith, if they choose to, and make more progress on behalf of the American people.” Then she repeated the statement’s charge: “on some of these key committees, it appears that House Republicans have handed over the keys to the most extreme MAGA members of the Republican caucus. This is what we’re seeing from the other side of Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania Avenue” [1].

”Violent rhetoric and dangerous conspiracy theories”

“These are members who have promoted violent rhetoric and dangerous conspiracy theories, including suggesting violence against political opponents, trafficking in antisemitic lies, and defending and downplaying a violent insurrection against our democracy,” Jean-Pierre said. “And so, Republican leaders should explain. They should have to explain, not us. They should have to explain why allowing these individuals to serve on these committees and come clean with the American people about the secret agreements, the secret deals that were made with these extreme MAGA — MAGA extremists” [1].

”I did not say that”

“It sounds like you don’t view the committee as very —” the reporter began. “I — I did not say that,” Jean-Pierre answered. “I laid out what the President intends to do. … But it is not for me to answer that question. It is for them to answer why is it that they chose to move in that direction” [1].

”Divorced-From-Reality Political Stunts”

The attack started before the briefing. “As we have said before, the Biden Administration stands ready to work in good faith to accommodate Congress’ legitimate oversight needs. However, with these members joining the Oversight Committee, it appears that House Republicans may be setting the stage for divorced-from-reality political stunts, instead of engaging in bipartisan work on behalf of the American people,” Sams said. Sams added that “Chairman Comer once said his goal was to ensure the Committee’s work is ‘credible,’” before the line about handing over the keys [2].

The seats went to some of McCarthy’s toughest critics. Fox News confirmed that McCarthy placed House Freedom Caucus holdouts Boebert, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Byron Donalds of Florida and freshman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida on Oversight, along with Greene and Gosar, “who were stripped of their assignments in 2021 over controversial statements” [2]. During the speakership fight, Boebert had vowed, “I am not going to support Kevin McCarthy” [2].

”Mega MAGA” From the Podium

Jean-Pierre’s habit of attacking “MAGA” Republicans from the podium caught up with her. The Office of Special Counsel found that she violated the Hatch Act, which limits political activity by federal employees, by using the term “Mega MAGA” to attack Republican policies, Fox News reported. “MAGA remains the campaign slogan of a current candidate for partisan political office, and therefore, its use constitutes political activity,” the watchdog wrote [3]. HYGO News covered her response in its page on the Hatch Act finding.

What the Committee Found

“Joe Biden lied.” On July 24, 2023, Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., issued a statement about then-Vice President Biden “attending dinners and speaking by phone with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates.” “Joe Biden lied to the American people when he said he knew nothing about his son’s business dealings,” Comer said [4].

“The brand.” A week later, after Hunter Biden’s former business partner Devon Archer sat for a four-hour transcribed interview, Comer said the testimony showed “Joe Biden was ‘the brand’ that his son sold around the world to enrich the Biden family,” and that as vice president he “joined Hunter Biden’s dinners with his foreign business associates in person or by speakerphone over 20 times” [5].

An impeachment inquiry. On Sept. 12, 2023, McCarthy directed a House panel to open a formal impeachment inquiry, saying the Oversight Committee’s investigation had found a “culture of corruption” around the Biden family, the AP reported [6].

The report. On Aug. 19, 2024, the Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means committees released a 291-page impeachment inquiry report, “finding he committed impeachable offenses” [7].

The pardon. On Dec. 1, 2024, Biden granted his son a full and unconditional pardon for offenses he “committed or may have committed” from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024 [8].

The committee fights did not stop with Oversight. A week after this briefing, McCarthy blocked Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from the Intelligence Committee, and the House later removed Rep. Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs, as HYGO News reported in its page on those fights. For more on the Biden family’s business dealings, see Jean-Pierre’s “never in business with his son” answer.

By the Numbers

6: Republicans Fox News reported McCarthy named to Oversight that week, four of them Freedom Caucus holdouts [2].
2021: the year Greene and Gosar lost their committee seats under the Democratic majority [2].
4 hours: the length of Devon Archer’s transcribed interview [5].
Over 20: the dinners and speakerphone calls with Hunter Biden’s associates that Comer said Archer described [5].
291: pages in the committees’ impeachment inquiry report [7].

More of Jean-Pierre’s answers checked against the record are on HYGO News’ Karine Jean-Pierre record page.