‘Jesus’: Karine Jean-Pierre’s stunned response when White House is asked if Biden is ‘corrupt’
The questions related to peace talks in Ukraine, North Korea and Sudan when one of the White House briefing room’s more robust interrogators hijacked proceedings Wednesday afternoon.
After citing a classified FBI file, an anonymous IRS whistleblower, and a Harvard-Harris poll earlier this month that found 53 percent of the public suspicious of the First Family’s ties to foreign powers, Steven Nelson from The New York Post to his question.
“So what do you say to the majority of Americans who believe the president himself is corrupt?” he asked.
“Jesus,” was the reply from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, muttering off-camera as she stared at her feet on the stage of the briefing room.
However, that was not the official response from the administration.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mumbled “Jesus” and spokesperson John Kirby said “wow” after being asked what they would say to Americans who believe Joe Biden is corrupt
The famously unflappable spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirby, had the lectern and microphone.
“Wow,” was his equally nervous reply, shaking his head before regaining his balance.
“The president has spoken about this… the president has spoken about this.
And none of these claims are true.
“And as for the whistleblowing issue you talked about and the document, I believe the FBI has talked about that. You’ll have to go there.’
Questions about the president’s son, his foreign business dealings, awkward emails from his abandoned laptop, and even a lucrative foray into the art world are often met with tired resignation from officials in the White House briefing room.
Those feelings came to the fore in full view halfway through the briefing when things took an awkward turn following a routine question about artificial intelligence.
Nelson, standing at the back of the room, used an old trick to ask a question. When Jean-Pierre pointed to a journalist nearby, he simply began to ask his question as if the press secretary’s finger was pointing at him.
Steven Nelson (standing, back row): So what do you say to the majority of Americans who believe the president himself is corrupt?
Republicans have repeatedly tried to tie President Joe Biden to his son Hunter’s (proper) business dealings and are now alleging a bribery scheme when Biden was vice president. The White House has rejected the claims and Republicans have yet to provide evidence
“There have been many developments recently in the House’s investigations into the first family’s international business dealings,” he said.
There was the House Oversight Committee trying to get their hands on an FBI file that some Republicans claim contains allegations that Biden took millions of dollars in bribes when he was vice president.
And an IRS whistleblower has come forward with allegations of assault and political interference in an ongoing criminal investigation into the president’s son.
In the midst of this, there was a Harvard Harris poll this month that showed 53 percent of the public, including a quarter of Democrats, believe “Joe Biden was involved in illegal influence with his son,” he continued, before dropping his explosive question.
The latest allegations have enthused hardline Republicans, but are shrugged off by Democrats as partisan smears without evidence.
Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, demands FBI hand over its file of evidence on ‘Biden corruption’
After the turmoil of the Donald Trump years and his norm-breaking decision not to put his assets in a blind trust or release his tax returns, the Biden administration has gone to great lengths to portray itself as returning to normalcy. course of events.
And after being sworn in, Biden drew a line under some of the complicated family ties in the previous administration
“No one in our family and extended family will be involved in any government business or foreign policy,” Biden told People magazine in January 2021.
It came after Biden faced intense questions about his son’s business dealings and his position on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
Hunter told ABC News in 2019 that holding that position while his father was vice president showed “poor judgment.”
Those questions have only increased since his son’s laptop, filled with messages to and from employees, was left in a repair shop in Delaware.
A long-running federal investigation in the state is said to be in its late stages, but no charges have yet been filed. Federal agents reportedly believe they have enough evidence to charge him with tax crimes and false statement related to a gun purchase.
Biden has said he never spoke to his son about foreign affairs and there is no evidence the president is involved in the investigation.