Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, struggled to answer questions on Friday about her ethical standards after a report that she was negotiating a huge contract with NBC News. CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe first questioned Psaki about reports that a media deal was negotiated between NBC/MSNBC.
Psaki jokingly said, “Well, you can’t get rid me yet Ed.” “I don’t have any information to confirm my length of service or plan service or about consideration for next plans.”
Psaki spent the week in quarantine after being diagnosed with coronavirus. She said that she was happy to be back at the White House.
She said, “Believe it or not, you all are missing me a lot,”
She reiterated that she was not in a position to confirm media reports on a media deal and stated that she would continue to speak on behalf of President Obama and answer “tough” questions from journalists.
She said to reporters, “I hope I can meet my own standard of treating everyone with fairness and being equal.”
Kristen Welker, NBC reporter, asked Psaki if she felt it was ethical to continue working while negotiating with a media outlet (ironically, the same media outlet that employs Welker as a White House reporter).
Psaki responded, saying she had “always gone above and beyond the strict ethical and legal requirements for the Biden administration” and that she takes that “very seriously”.
She said, “I hope all of my colleagues — I’ve worked with you for some time — will judge me based on my record and how well I treat you both in the briefing rooms.”
She said she tried her best to answer questions from a variety of reporters.
She stated, “I try to answer all questions across the board.”
Welker asked her future colleague about ethics.
She asked, “How can I continue to be an effective shorter if you are actually planning to join a media outlet?”
Psaki reiterated that she had “nothing else to announce” regarding her future career and stressed that she would spend time with family if she left the White House.
She replied, “At any time I leave White House, I can assure you that the first thing I will do is to sleep and spend time my three-and six-year-old children, who are my most important audience.”
