Duck & Cover: WH’s Jean-Pierre Rebuffs Durham Questions From FNC’s Heinrich

Many of her coworkers and their networks are also in the picture. They refused to provide coverageThe Blowshell news in the Durham investigation, Fox’s Jacqui Heinrich brought it up during Monday’s White House press briefing, repeatedly pressing Principal Deputy Press Secretary and former MSNBCer Karine Jean-Pierre for answers on whether Team Biden supports spying on political opponents.

Jean-Pierre didn’t want to answer her questions about the Special Counsel John Durham filing that a Clinton campaign lawyer paid for to have a tech firm monitor the computers at Trump Tower and Trump White House. This was both before and after the 2016 election.

Heinrich shifted gears from asking about the Russia-Ukraine crisis to “this news about the Durham investigation” and whether Biden has “have any concerns about a candidate for president using computer experts to infiltrate computer systems of competing candidates, or even the president-elect to — for the goal of creating a narrative.”

Jean-Pierre cut off her attempt to ask a second question. Instead of reading from her binder lengthy statements (as she did in the previous question), Jean Pierre said instead. “[t]hat’s something I can’t speak to from this podium, so I refer you to the Department of Justice.”

Heinrich attempted to do it again, pulling in the exact same manner as her friend Peter Doocy. “Is what being described in that report — monitoring Internet traffic — is that spying?”

Jean-Pierre didn’t budge and reiterated her first answer, leaving Heinrich to try one last time by questioning whether they’d consider whether “monitoring internet traffic” “generally speaking” would be seen as spying.

Jean-Pierre played the part of Psaki very well. She continued, repeating her two-part response with one additional detail about her. “answer is not going to change.”

But with Jean-Pierre’s friends in the liberal broadcast and cable networks having largely ignored it as ABC, CBS, and NBC still on the sidelines and MSNBC having stayed silent until Tuesday morning, who can blame her?

To see the relevant transcript from February 14’s briefing, click “expand.”

Briefing for the press at White House [via FNC’s Your World]
February 14, 2022
Eastern Time: 4:01 PM

JACQUI HEINRICH: And then, on a second topic, this news about the Durham investigation: Does the President have any concerns about a candidate for president using computer experts to infiltrate computer systems of competing candidates, or even the president-elect to — for the goal of creating a narrative? Is that something that —

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: That’s something I can’t speak to from this podium, so You can refer to the Department of Justice.

HEINRICH: Is what being described in that report — monitoring Internet traffic — is that spying?

JEAN-PIERRE: Again, I can’t speak to that report. I refer you to the Department of Justice.

HEINRICH: Generally speaking though, would monitoring Internet traffic be —

JEANPIERRE Jacqui, I will continue to give the same answer. JEAN-PIERRE: Jacqui, my answer is not going to change. 

HEINRICH: Okay.

JEAN-PIERRE: I can’t speak to that from here.