Formal Complaint Filed against Biden for Refusing to Answer Questions from Reporters
Biden faced the complaint for not responding to media
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The White House press pool has filed a formal complaint against Joe Biden for the repeated instances where he has refused to answer reporters' questions about the various crises that have arisen under his administration.
Biden faced the complaint not long after meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe tweeted:
“[President] Biden and British PM [Boris Johnson] meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues."
IN THE OVAL OFFICE… @POTUS Biden and British PM @BorisJohnson meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues. Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U.S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about southern border and we couldn’t decipher what he said. pic.twitter.com/A86kgdfsuc
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
“Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U.S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about the southern border, and we couldn’t decipher what he said.”
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White House Correspondents’ Association President Steven Portnoy announced he filed a formal complaint following an incident with House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
His statement said:
“The entire editorial component of the U.S. pool went immediately into Jen Psaki’s office to register a formal complaint that no American reporters were recognized for questions in the president’s Oval Office and that wranglers loudly shouted over the president as he seemed to give an answer to Ed O’Keefe’s question about the situation at the Southern Border."
"Biden’s answer could not be heard over the shouting.”
“Psaki was unaware that the incident had occurred and suggested that she was not in a position to offer an immediate solution,” the statement continued.
Portnoy demanded Biden hold a formal press conference to explain why he is ignoring reporters’ questions.
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Despite the accusations, Psaki claimed Biden “takes questions several times a week.”
Here are a few instances which suggest Biden is not in charge:
In March, Biden's aide blocked reporters from asking him about the "crisis at the border" during a stop at a local hardware store in Washington, D.C.
In August, Biden said "they" set the rules and determine when and where he’s allowed to take questions from the press and who from.
Earlier this month, Biden implied his handlers are calling the shots from the shadows after he concluded remarks in honor of labor unions by saying what he was "supposed" to do.
After finishing prepared comments in the White House, Biden said:
"I‘m supposed to stop and walk out of the room."
But in a somewhat defiance of his "handlers," Biden did not immediately leave the room.
Also, in September, Biden had his live stream cut off mid-sentence by White House staffers after he went off-script and asked an audience member about the wildfires in Idaho.
