Snuffed Out: FNC’s Heinrich Pins Psaki Down Over Reported Plan to Fund Crack Pipes

Wednesday’s Psaki Show included a topic few would ever expect to pop up (aside from Hunter Biden references) as Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich repeatedly grilled Press Secretary Jen Psaki over a Free Beacon Report (by former MRCTV intern Patrick Hauf) that a Health and Human Services (HHS) grant for “safe smoking kits” would include crack pipes.

Despite vehement denials by HHS, Psaki, and their allies in the so-called fact-checking profession, there’s been no solidified evidence to debunk the grant and, thanks to Hauf’s story, the administration has said they would ensure they weren’t included. The program was seen to encourage drug abuse rather than helping people quit.

Heinrich jumped straight to the point, citing an HHS Statement. “clarifying…reports that crack pipes are not going to be part of the ‘safe smoking kits’ that are funded by the administration, but can you clarify for us: Were they never a part of the kit or were they removed in response to this reporting and this pushback?”

Psaki tried desperately to get out, but it was too late. “[t]hey were never a part of the kit; it was inaccurate reporting and we wanted to put out information to make that clear.”

Hauf was not happy with this. said would include “smoking kits/supplies” with an HHS official stating the kits would allow someone to smoke “any illicit substance.”

Heinrich asked Heinrich to ask the next question. “what is in the safe smoking kit”Psaki claimed that the range was from “alcohol swabs, lip balm, other materials”Like “fentanyl test strips clean syringes” So that they could “address the opioid epidemic” “reduce the transmission of…diseases like HIV and hepatitis.”

With Psaki having outlined that a kit that would allow people to do a host of drugs, Heinrich asked whether the Biden administration “support[s]” drug use and, if not, why have they asked the Justice Department to examine the legality of “safe injection sites.”

Psaki said the administration is focused on “address[ing]” a crisis that’s affected millions and thus don’t have time for “political games” (click “expand”):

HEINRICH: And then — so just to put a final point on it, does the administration support any effort then to distribute drug paraphernalia like the types that we were hearing about?

PSAKI: We — the statement makes clear that we don’t support federal funding, indirect or direct, for pipes.

HEINRICH: Okay. Thank you. Now, let’s talk about the DOJ’s evaluation of safe injection sites. Was it a request from the White House to review this policy?  It is well-known that the DOJ has been opposed to safe injection site openings for many years.

PSAKI: It’s under litigation, so I can’t speak to that, but what I can tell you and reiterate is that the White House is committed — as I will — as I would reiterate for you, many Democrats and Republicans, including Senator Cruz — to taking steps to address the opioid crisis. This issue is not affecting only the blue states. Millions of Americans are affected by this issue across the nation, and we must take actions to fix it.

HEINRICH

PSAKI: I think that it’s important to step back and remember — just to put a little more of a fine point on it — that we are losing an American life every five minutes to overdose. We don’t have time for political games. He is focused on saving people’s lives. This isn’t a game. It is not a political game. This is an epidemic that is taking the life of five — of an American every five minutes, and we need to work in a bipartisan way to address it.

Later, The Grio’s April Ryan aidedPsaki as she grumbled about it “misinformation” About this has been “a terrible ripple effect,” She wanted to learn more about the “adminIstration” is “doing”To something (presumably to stop outlets from reporting it) “[b]Because of this, a lot more corridors have been affected[.]”

Ryan was thanked by Psaki “really important point because…there’s been a lot of misinformation and…it has really clouded over what is a hugely important issue” With opioids “harm reduction.”

Ryan followed up, whining there’s been “a lot of damage already been done just by misinformation in certain communities.” Psaki again agreed, insisting “this has never been a part of what has been funded.”

These are the facts. The Drug Policy Organization will be briefed. released a statement expressing disappointment that pipes wouldn’t be included because they’re needed “to save lives now” and seemed to be under the impression they were.

Snopes offers a variety of services. Declined Hauf’s bombshell “mostly false” but, in their reasoning, they confirmed it. Even worse, The Washington Post butcheredThe DPO claimed that Team Biden was backtracking.

Hauf Write a piece late Wednesday taking everyone to task (click “expand”):

This announcement follows a Monday Washington Free Beacon article that HHS will spend $30 million to fund a “harm reduction grant program” that would reimburse local governments for providing “smoking kit” to crack cocaine users. The existing smoking kits programs that are available in major cities, such as Annapolis and Seattle, Md. (Conn.), New Haven, Conn., San Francisco or San Francisco, all offer pipes.

A spokesperson for HHS initially stated to the Free Beacon, that kits received through grant programs were intended to be used to smoke crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine as well as any other illicit substances.

HHS released a Tuesday statement in which it claimed the story was “blatantly misinformed” following publication of its report. A spokesperson for HHS said that the story is misleading and inaccurate, but refused to clarify the issue.

(….)

According to the grant’s terms, any equipment and supplies that enhance harm reduction efforts are eligible. Smoking kits are also included. Initial funding for smoking equipment was denied by HHS.

Heinrich reminds us that she supported Psaki’s efforts to mask as the blue-state governors have repealed mask mandates.

However, these local decisions, which you always discuss, don’t align with the scientific evidence that is being presented by the CDC and this White House. Why aren’t we hearing the same messages criticizing the states making such moves as we did with Ron DeSantis, for example?

Psaki promptly lied, emphasizing “there is a distinct difference between standing in the way, which Ron DeSantis did” in banning “teachers, school administrators, and others” from taking steps to protect the students in their school communities.”

No one in the Sunshine State was prohibited from wearing masks.

To see the relevant transcript and excellent masking questions from AP’s Aamer Madhani, ABC’s Cecilia Vega, and NBC’s Kristen WelkerPro-masking softball by The Wall Street Journal’s Sabrina Siddiqui, and a Ukraine hardball from CBS’s Nancy CordesClick here Here.