The countdown was on for MSNBC’s Jen Psaki after a false claim in her book about the president’s watch sparked a threat of subpoena.
President Joe Biden’s first White House press secretary arguably made a lateral career move when she transitioned to her current role as a corporate media talking head. Now, evidence of her continued commitment to gaslight on behalf of her former boss landed her in hot water with the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Earlier in May, Psaki released her memoir, “Say More,” that was readily called out for making false claims about when Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of American service members killed at the Abbey Gate outside Kabul’s airport in 2021.
Tuesday, a letter addressed to the host’s attorney Emily Loeb from the Foreign Affairs Committee chair, Texas Rep. Michael McCaul (R), insisted that the former press secretary make herself available for questioning over the withdrawal from Afghanistan, or be made to appear via subpoena.
The letter read in part, “As a private citizen, willing and able to publish a memoir on her tenure as White House Press Secretary, I encourage Ms. Psaki to refrain from relying on thin legal arguments to dodge her responsibility to appear before Congress.”
“The Committee will not tolerate Ms. Psaki’s continued obstruction of its critical investigation,” continued McCaul.
As previously reported, the book had originally contended that “the president looked at his watch only after the ceremony had ended. Moments later, he and the First Lady headed toward their car.”
In her notorious “circle back” style, a statement from Psaki expressed, “…detail in a few lines of the book about the exact number of times he looked at his watch will be removed in future reprints and the ebook.”
Jen Psaki to scrub new book after whitewashing Biden show of disrespect for fallen soldiers https://t.co/1UNOSqTwu6
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) May 13, 2024
The committee had previously sought testimony from the former government employee in September at which point her attorney had directed requests to the White House’s legal counsel, and Psaki skirted by without facing questioning.
At the time, testimony from National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby and former State Department spokesperson Ned Price had also been sought over the president’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chair had said, “The rosy messages these individuals conveyed to the American people throughout August 2021 vastly differed from the scene playing out on the ground. It’s time for these officials to come forward and give our Gold Star families — and the American people — the answers they desperately want and deserve.”
In his letter to her attorney, McCaul went on to express what he thought about the former White House spokesperson’s attempt at revisionist history in a for-profit endeavor while not responding to requests from the legislature.
“It is troubling that Ms. Psaki seeks to profit off the Afghanistan tragedy,” he wrote, “and has felt comfortable writing accounts and making them available to the general public, but refuses to make herself available to Congress.”
A deadline for Psaki’s response to requests for interview was not readily apparent.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- Kamala to mimic another Dem sore loser with speech attacking Trump, and here’s what she’s worth … - April 29, 2025
- ‘I wouldn’t want to be living there right now’: Cali fire survivors’ homes getting ravaged by thieves - April 29, 2025
- Florida Dem leader who bolted party explains his decision - April 29, 2025
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.