Doocy, WSJ Reporter Press Flailing Karine Jean-Pierre Over Disinformation Board

Wednesday’s White House press briefing featured five questions on the so-called pause of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) dangerously Orwellian Disinformation Governance Board (DGB) and the resignation of its controversial head, Nina Jankowicz. The questions were answered by Wall Street Journal’s Tarini Parti and Fox’s Peter Doocy, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the pause, but let slip that the DGB’s “work” will “continue.”

Parti broke the ice by asking whether “the White House play[ed] a role at all in perhaps expressing frustration on how it was rolled out or…any — involvement in how it — whether or not it should be paused.”

 

 

She also wondered whether the administration had “a response to” what “some experts” who’ve argued the DGB “was sort of set up to fail[.]”

Jean-Pierre went right to her binder (which she’s relied on as more than a crutch in both her tenure and back to being Jen Psaki’s understudy), insisting “the board has never convened” but would be “pausing in the sense that it will not convene while former Secretary [Michael]Chertoff, former Deputy AG [Jamie] Gorelick” conduct “their assessment.”

Her comments included that DHS does not have a donator.e “critical” “work across several administrations to address disinformation that threatens the security of our country…that will indeed continue.”

According to the former MSNBC reporter, ordinary Americans didn’t have anything to worry about. “neither Nina Jankowicz nor the board have anything to do with the censorship or with removing content from anywhere”But instead “ensure that national security officials are updated on how misinformation is affecting…the threat environment.”

Parti tried again with whether the White House had “a role at all in” its pause, but Jean-Pierre claimed it hadn’t.

A few minutes later, the clock struck Doocy Time and led off with the DGB and questioning “what changed” given the pause since Psaki had previously insisted the board was necessary to protect freedom of speech.

Jean-Pierre retreated to her binder, but added it “had been intentionally mischaracterized…about what it does and doesn’t…do.”

She supported her argument “[i]t was never about censorship, poli- — policing speech, or removing content from anywhere,” but keep DHS “aware of how bad actors — including human smugglers, transnational criminal organization, and foreign adversaries — could use disinformation to advance their goals.”

Retreating to her other talking points, Jean-Pierre emphasized DHS’s fight against disinformation “will continue,” thus clinching the reality that, despite having been caught, the Biden administration could soon try again.

Doocy gave one more missive regarding the DGB “So if it’s pausing because you think the board was mischaracterized, then the disinformation board is being shut down because of disinformation? Is that what’s happening here?”

Jean-Pierre grasped that, while it was “was put forth for a purpose”To combat disinformation there was “mischaracterations [sic] from outside — outside forces.”

Doocy turned to threats facing Supreme Court justices and whether the White House would admit which side they’re emanating from (“pro-abortion activists or anti-abortion activists”), Jean-Pierre refused to answer and instead gave support to protesters outside the Supreme Court and going to the homes of pro-life justices so long as they don’t engage in physical violence.

Doocy wrapped with a series of questions about gas prices (click “expand”):

DOOCY: Americans now spend $5,000 per year on gasoline. That’s almost double what they did a year ago. What are the best places to find all this extra money?

JEAN-PIERRE : Want to make more money for your gas bill?

DOOCY: Yeah.

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I mean, one of the things that we’ve been very clear about is to do everything in our power to make sure that we lower costs. You know, it is important — we see it. The President understands what the American people is — are — is going through. And that’s why we’re doing everything that we can. We’ve made multiple announcements in the past several — several months of what we’re doing — whether it’s just the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, whether it’s the ethanol 15, to make sure that that — that the American people are not feeling Putin’s price hike. You can see where all this money is coming from.  Sixty to seventy percent of the current price hike that we have seen has come from Putin’s aggression against Ukraine.

DOOCY: So, the President announces on March 31st that he’s got all these steps to lower gas prices, and it’s still Putin’s fault, seven weeks later?

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, because — what I’m saying is, since the war — since Putin’s war — aggression against Ukraine started back in February — we did see a spike. But before then, it had — the price — the — the price per gallon had fallen down about 10 cents or more and then Putin started his aggression on Ukraine — his violent aggression on Ukraine — against their democracy, against their — against their sovereignty and we saw about — I mean, the facts show it went up about 60 to 70 percent, so it is Putin’s tax hike. This is what we’re talking about.

To see the relevant transcript from April 18’s briefing, click “expand.”

Briefing for the press at White House [via CBSN]
April 18, 2022
Eastern, 2:48

TARINI PARTI: DHS said today that they’ll be pausing the Disinformation Governance Board. Did the White House play a role at all in perhaps expressing frustration on how it was rolled out or expressed any — involvement in how it — whether or not it should be paused? Some experts also believe that the rollout was set up for failure. Are you able to provide a reply?

KARINE JEANPIERRE: The board has not met. It — so that’s — it never convened, and the board is — yes, the board is pausing in the sense that it will not convene while former Secretary Chertoff and former Deputy AG Gorelick do their assessment. But the Department’s work across several administrations to address disinformation that threatens the security of our country is critical, and that will indeed continue. Again, Nina Jankowicz and the board do not have any involvement in censorship of removing material from the internet. Their role is to ensure that national security officials are updated on how misinformation is affecting the trea- — the threat — the threat environment. She has strong credentials and a history of calling out misinformation from both the left and the right And that’s — and that’s our focus.

PARTI: So did the White House — did the White House play a role at all in whether it should be paused or what should happen with — with the board?

JEAN-PIERRE: No. First of all, like I said, this — this is what’s happening: There is a pause. This was not something we were involved in.

(….)

Eastern: 2:54 PM

PETER DOOCY – A continuation of the disinformation boards. Last week you said you required the Disinformation Governance Board at DHS in order to protect freedom of expression across the country. Also, these platforms were not being used for disinformation.

JEAN-PIERRE: Look, the Department of — of Homeland Security, they began their statement report- — repeating that the board had been intentionally mischaracterized, which is a little bit of what you were asking me, and they were explicit about what it does and doesn’t — it does not do. It was never about censorship, poli- — policing speech, or removing content from anywhere.  Its function was to keep Homeland Security officials aware of how bad actors — including human smugglers, transnational criminal organization, and foreign adversaries — could use disinformation to advance their goals. As Secretary Mayorkas said, he has asked former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and former DO- — DAG Jamie Gorelick to lead a thorough review — this is the pause that I was talking about — and assessment as members of the bipartisan Homeland Security Council — Advisory Council. During that time, the board will not meet.  But the department’s work across several administrations to address disinformation that threatens the security for our country is critical and will continue.  This work will continue.

DOOCY: So if it’s pausing because you think the board was mischaracterized, then the disinformation board is being shut down because of disinformation? Is that what’s happening here?

JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I mean, the — the board was put forth for a purpose — right? — to make sure that we really did — really did address what was happening across the country when it came to disinformation.

DOOCY: And it’s okay to wait now at 75 days to address —

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, no, it’s — it’s just — it’s going to pause. There’s been a mischaracterations [sic] from outside — outside forces and so, now what we’re going to do is going to — we’re going to pause it and we’re going to do an assessment. But the work does — the work doesn’t stop. We’re still going to continue the work. DHS will continue to work.

DOOCY: Okay. There’s a bulletin now that DHS is worried if Roe v. Wade is overturned, there could be violence against the Supreme Court building or Supreme Court justices. These threats are coming from anti-abortion or pro-abortion groups.

JEAN PIERRE: The President has made it clear that he is not confused about this issue. He believes the right to peace- — to peacefully protest in this country is fundamental, but he also believes that violence, threats, and intimidation have no place in political discourse anywhere. That is true whether it is in front of a courthouse or in front of a healthcare clinic and that’s the thing. I feel — it seems like, to us, it is very one-sided on what we call out as — as intimidation or as violence. So we want to make sure we’re calling out on — on ei- — on both sides of what is happening and what we’re seeing. While protests — but while protests have been peaceful to date, the Department of Justice has U.S. The Marshals provide support [the Supreme] Court Marshal, and the Pres- — and the President believes Congress should pass the legislation to fund increased security for Court and judges as soon as possible. Yesterday, in reference to this, the Department of Homeland Security said they are “committed to protecting Americans’ freedom of speech and other civil rights and civil liberties, including the right to peacefully protest. DHS is also committed to working with our partners across every level of government and the private sector to share timely information and intelligence, prevent all forms of violence, and to support law enforcement — enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe.”

DOOCY. And lastly, a question about gasoline prices. Americans spend now $5,000 annually on gasoline. That’s almost double what they did a year ago. What are the best places to find all this extra money?

JEAN-PIERRE : Want to make more money for your gas bill?

DOOCY: Yeah.

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I mean, one of the things that we’ve been very clear about is to do everything in our power to make sure that we lower costs. You know, it is important — we see it. The President understands what the American people is — are — is going through. And that’s why we’re doing everything that we can. We’ve made multiple announcements in the past several — several months of what we’re doing — whether it’s just the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, whether it’s the ethanol 15, to make sure that that — that the American people are not feeling Putin’s price hike. You can see where all this money is coming from.  Sixty to seventy percent of the current price hike that we have seen has come from Putin’s aggression against Ukraine.

DOOCY: So, the President announces on March 31st that he’s got all these steps to lower gas prices, and it’s still Putin’s fault, seven weeks later?

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, because — what I’m saying is, since the war — since Putin’s war — aggression against Ukraine started back in February — we did see a spike. But before then, it had — the price — the — the price per gallon had fallen down about 10 cents or more and then Putin started his aggression on Ukraine — his violent aggression on Ukraine — against their democracy, against their — against their sovereignty and we saw about — I mean, the facts show it went up about 60 to 70 percent, so it is Putin’s tax hike. This is what we’re talking about.

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