White House pressed on whether Biden’s docs story was ‘leaked,’ why he had the documents
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stonewalls Fox News’ Peter Doocy’s questions on President Biden’s classified documents scandal.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to answer questions from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy regarding President Joe Biden's mishandling of classified documents Tuesday.
Doocy pressed the White House regarding Biden's travel to Delaware after documents were discovered at his Wilmington home. Jean-Pierre stonewalled his questions, however, saying she refused to "go down a rabbit hole" on the topic.
"After the special counsel was named, but before the FBI searched, President Biden went to his house in Wilmington. What was he doing in there?"
"I would refer you to the White House Counsel's Office," Jean-Pierre responded.
"So, something relating to this case," Doocy inferred.
"I would refer you to the White House Counsel's Office," Jean-Pierre repeated.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House on Jan. 24, 2023. (Andrew Caballero Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the White House, Jan. 23, 2023. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"Do you think that the story was leaked by someone trying to bruise the president politically ahead a re-election announcement?" Doocy asked.
"I would refer you to the White House Counsel's Office, as they've been the ones who have been closely involved," Jean-Pierre said once again.
"More basically, we know the president did it. Why did he do it?" Doocy pressed.
"I would refer you to the White House Counsel's Office," Jean-Pierre said.
Doocy tried another time: "In the president's own words, he admits to having information that wasn't his. Why did he smuggle it out?"
"I will let the statement of the president stand for itself. I'm just not going to go down a rabbit hole with you on this," Jean-Pierre said before calling on another reporter.
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy speaks in front of the White House. (Fox News)
The exchange came days after investigators found a third stash of misplaced classified documents inside Biden's Wilmington home. Four batches have been found in total, including one uncovered in the Washington offices of the Penn Biden Center in November.
The Jan. 20 DOJ search in Wilmington resulted in the confiscation of six items with classification markings. While the previous batches of classified documents were dated to Biden's time as vice president, this fourth batch came from his time in the Senate.
It is unclear where in the home the documents were found. Previous stashes were located in Biden's garage.
A view of the access road leading to President Joe Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware, Jan. 12. 2023. (Dario Alequin for Fox News Digital)
Biden lawyer Bob Bauer reiterated Saturday that the president and his administration were cooperating fully with the DOJ's investigation.
"At the outset of this matter, the president directed his personal attorneys to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice," Bauer said. "Accordingly, having previously identified and reported to DOJ a small number of documents with classification markings at the president’s Wilmington home."
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"In the interest of moving the process forward as expeditiously as possible, we offered to provide prompt access to his home to allow DOJ to conduct a search of the entire premises for potential vice presidential records and potential classified material," he added.
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