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‘We have the crackpipes, Jen!’ Psaki still denies, cries ‘conspiracy theory’ after drug kits are tracked

May 13, 2022 | | Print Article

White House press secretary Jen Psaki is facing backlash for doubling down on the claim that the so-called “harm-reduction organizations” set to start collecting grants from the Biden administration aren’t giving out crack pipes to drug addicts.

As noted by conservative commentator Drew Holden in a tweet posted Thursday afternoon, hours after Psaki issued her latest denial, “We have the crackpipes, Jen.”

Literally.

The Washington Free Beacon recently paid a visit to five so-called “harm-reduction organizations” along the East Coast, and every single organization gave them “safe-smoking kits” containing crack pipes.

“[A]ll of the organizations we visited made crack pipes as well as paraphernalia for the use of heroin, cocaine, and crystal methamphetamine readily available without requiring or offering rehabilitation services, suggesting that pipes are included in many if not most of the kits distributed across the country,” the Beacon reported early Thursday morning.

“All of the centers we visited are run by health-focused nonprofits and government agencies — the types of groups eligible to receive funding, starting this month, from the Biden administration’s $30 million grant program.”

The Beacon also surveyed “more than two dozen harm reduction organizations” and “found that not all harm reduction organizations distribute safe smoking kits, but those that do almost always provide crack pipes.”

And those that don’t “say they are willing to, but unable to.”

“At Washington, D.C.’s Family and Medical Counseling Service, Inc., for example, a member of the group’s needle exchange team [said] that the organization would love to offer crack pipes as part of its safe smoking kit but hasn’t been able to purchase them,” according to the Free Beacon.

Yet when questioned about the pipes later that morning, Psaki again denied everything, claiming that the administration’s “harm-reduction” policies do “not allow for crack pipes to be included.”

“I would just note that this is a bit of a conspiracy theory that’s been spread out there. It’s not accurate. There’s important drug treatment programs for people who have been suffering from what we’ve seen as an epidemic across the country, and money is not used for crack pipes,” she asserted.

Her dubious claim wasn’t well met on social media:

To be fair, the Free Beacon was unable to confirm whether any of the five organizations they visited have applied for the Biden administration’s grants.

“None of the organizations responded to inquiries about whether they applied for government grants. It is not clear which organizations will receive those grants, nor has the administration said how it will ensure the kits will not contain crack pipes,” the outlet noted.

Though on the other hand, the “Department of Health and Human Services, which will oversee the Biden grant program, declined to provide a list of groups that have applied for funding, citing ‘confidentiality.'”

And so the administration has made it impossible to determine the actual truth, which, based on past history, is entirely different from what Psaki has claimed.

Recall that when the Free Beacon first published a report three months ago about “safe-smoking kits” containing crack pipes, the White House press secretary issued a full-throated denial.

Crack pipes “were never a part of the kit,” she claimed.

“It was inaccurate reporting. A safe-smoking kit may contain alcohol swabs, lip balm, and other materials to promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases,” she said.

It appears that was a lie …

Vivek Saxena
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