WASHINGTON – A White House press assistant was suspended for a week without pay on Friday, the government announced after a report in which he accused him of verbally harassing and threatening a Politico reporter.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced on Friday that Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo has been paid for one week without pay following a Vanity Fair report stating that Ducklo threatened the reporter after learning that Politico of plan was to publish an article about his relationship with a reporter at Axios.
Ducklo, a former employee of the NBC News communications division, is expected to return to work after the suspension. Ducklo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
President Joe Biden is campaigning for a message that he will restore the White House respect and civilization, and regularly criticizes the behavior of the previous president and his staff, including the handling of the press.
‘I’m not kidding when I say this: if you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with respect, then talk to someone, I promise you I’ll fire you right away. No ifs, ands, or buts, ”Biden said during his first week in office.
People magazine reported this month that Ducklo is dating Alexi McCammond, a reporter for Axios, who also contributes to NBC and MSNBC, in an article that approvingly tweeted by several top White House officials. Politico then reported that he had informed the White House that he intended to publish an article shortly before People magazine appeared.
Vanity Fair reports that Ducklo called Tara Palmeri, a reporter from Politico, and threatened her when he heard that Politico was planning to publish an article.
The Vanity Fair article states that Ducklo ‘made derogatory and misogynistic comments on Palmeri and threatened to’ destroy ‘her.
Psaki said Ducklo would no longer be appointed to work with Politico reporters once he returned from his suspension.
“TJ Ducklo apologized to the reporter, with whom he had a heated conversation about his personal life. He is the first to admit that this is not the standard set out by the president,” Psaki said in a statement. said. tweet. “In addition to his initial apology, he sent a personal letter to the reporter in which he expressed his deep regret.”
“I take this very seriously,” Psaki told reporters on Friday afternoon. ‘He [Ducklo] is the first person to acknowledge that this is not the standard set by the President, nor the standard set by me. “
Psaki said that although she did not apologize for Ducklo’s behavior, the story he discussed with the Politico reporter was about his personal life and not an issue related to White House policy. Psaki admitted that the White House did not suspend Ducklo immediately after learning of the incident, rather after they were made aware of the Vanity Fair article.
Psaki said she did not discuss Ducklo’s behavior with Biden directly, but discussed it with Ron Klain, White House chief of staff.
Asked how female reporters outside Politico were supposed to feel comfortable working with Ducklo when he returned, Psaki reiterated that Ducklo’s behavior was ‘completely unacceptable’ and that she was clear ‘it will never happen again’. and will not be tolerated here. at the White House. ”
