White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki publicly reprimanded her deputy on Friday over inappropriate remarks made to a female reporter on Inauguration Day.
Vanity Fair reported on Friday that White House deputy press secretary TJ Ducklo had threatened to “destroy” Tico Palmeri, a Politico reporter, who inquired about his relationship with Axios reporter Alexi McCammond. McCammond discussed Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, and romantic relationships between reporters and their sources could raise ethical concerns.
In the off-record call, Ducklo allegedly made misogynistic remarks to Palmeri, accusing her of being ‘jealous’ of the fact that another man wanted McCammond and not Palmeri, according to Vanity Fair. The magazine also reported that Ducklo told Palmeri, “I will destroy you” as she continued the story. It also took note of the fact that a male Politico reporter instructed to ask Ducklo about the relationship while Palmeri approached McCammond. Instead of contacting the male reporter, Ducklo contacted Palmeri, according to Vanity Fair.
Psaki admitted on Friday that this conversation did not meet “the standard set by the president.” That standard was articulated by President Biden on his first day in office, apparently exactly around the time Ducklo Palmeri threatened.
“I’m not kidding when I say that. If you ever work with me, and I hear you treat another colleague with respect, then talk to someone, I promise you I’ll fire you right away. the mr. Biden said. “On the spot. No if, and, or but. Everyone, everyone is entitled to be treated decently and with dignity.”
It is unclear why it took more than three weeks before the White House disciplined Ducklo.
CBS News could not independently verify the phone call, but the conversation three weeks ago led to a series of moves from the White House’s communications office, two people familiar with the situation told CBS News.
The next day, January 21, when Mr. Biden issued a series of executive orders, White House chief adviser Anita Dunn, communications director Kate Bedingfield and Psaki spent part of the day telephoning Palmeri’s bosses at Politico, acknowledging that Ducklo said , is not acceptable. They promised he would apologize, the two people familiar with the discussion said.
Afterwards, ‘Ducklo sent an email to Palmeri in which he said he was sorry he lost the cool, but he did not go over any details or apologize for threatening and sexually harassing the reporter,’ ‘ reported Vanity Fair.
White House officials complained to the Politico leadership that Palmeri had not complied with her disagreement with Ducklo because she had discussed the conversation with her editors, according to a source familiar with the situation. But to be ‘off the record’ is an agreement between a reporter and a source that information from the conversation should not be published. Politico kept that agreement.
The day after the tense phone call, Palmeri and her colleagues were supposed to present a live stream with an interview with Cedric Richmond, senior adviser to the White House. This event was announced on 19 January.
According to emails CBS News received on the morning of the event, Politico asked if Palmeri could keep up with Richmond along with one of her colleagues, Ryan Lizza.
“Let’s just do Ryan,” replied Kate Berner, White House deputy communications director, adding that the White House had previously agreed to only one moderator – Lizza.
The video of the event shows that Politico continued the live stream without Palmeri as interviewer or on the panel, although Palmeri was listed as a panel member in the announcement of the event.
Palmeri declined to comment, citing the request to Politico, which made a statement to its editors-in-chief, saying in part: ‘No journalist at POLITICO – or any other publication or network – may ever be subjected to such unfounded personal attacks. become while doing their job. “
Another person familiar with the circumstances said Palmeri was cut off from the virtual event because she was unexpectedly caught in traffic, and that her absence was not related to the consequences of the altercation with Ducklo a day earlier. .
The first story published about Ducklo’s relationship was not published by Politico on Monday night, but rather by People Magazine. Many White House staff members shared the article on social media.
Less than 12 hours later, Politico Playbook reports that the People Magazine story was published after Politico informed the White House of its intention to publish a story about Ducklo’s relationship.
An Axios spokesman told CBS News that McCammond disclosed her relationship with Ducklo to her editors in November and asked to be removed from the cover of the Biden campaign. She was then re-assigned to administer Kamala Harris, the progressive movement and progressives in Congress.
“Alexi is a valued member of the Axios team,” the Axios spokesman said, “and we stand behind her and her coverage.”
Ducklo will serve an unpaid weekly suspension and, according to Psaki, will no longer work with Politico reporters.
The press secretary described the threatening call as a ‘heated conversation about [Ducklo’s] personal life, “and said Ducklo Palmeri has since apologized. CBS News’ Weijia Jiang pressured Psaki at the White House briefing on why this disciplinary action was taken weeks after the incident – and after the story was published about the threats, Psaki simply replied, “You are right.”
“There were conversations that took place with the reporter, as well as editors at Politico immediately after the conversation took place,” Psaki said. “That was how we were doing things in a private way. And, you know, that was what we felt was appropriate at the time.”
Psaki said on Friday that Biden was not involved in the discussion, and that the one-week suspension was approved by Ron Klain, White House chief of staff.