CNN legal analyst Ellie Honig told White House Counsel Ian Sams to respond with substance, not defensive rants, after Sams slammed his coverage of the Hur report. ” he asked.
On Friday, Honig wrote an op-ed in New York Magazine claiming that he knew “all along” that President Biden kept classified documents in his home and “undoubtedly misled the American people.” After the article was quoted and shared by NBC News correspondent Ken Dilanian, Sams slammed both sides.
The White House, and Mr. Sams in particular, are trying to discredit claims about special counsel Robert Hur’s report on Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents.
“This is an embarrassingly misguided assessment by Ellie Honig, amplified by Ken Dilanian. They’re both smart and literate, but apparently they’re not.” wrote in a social media post. “All these theories were raised in the report and then thoroughly dismantled by facts and evidence. I explained everything in a letter to the press.”
Honig rejected Sams’ criticism, arguing instead that “the White House press secretary should read the article and respond with substance rather than defensive rants.”
White House Press Secretary Ian Sams disputed the reporting by CNN’s Elie Honig and a number of other journalists. (Photo by Ian Sams, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images). Honig Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for CAA))
Sams’ tweet included a copy of a controversial letter to the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), which he said painted a misleading picture of Herr’s conclusions. Members criticized the organization for “providing grossly inaccurate reports.” He also accused reporters in the White House briefing room of asking questions that were “false or based on false premises.”
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WHCA President Kelly O’Donnell called Sams’ letter “misguided” and said, “The White House’s use of internal pool distribution channels, primarily for logistics and rapid sharing of needs, is “This is inappropriate,” he wrote in his own letter. To be informed and to disseminate general criticism of news reporting. ”
She also asserted that “the WHCA does not, cannot and will not serve as a repository of government views on news content.”
Honig previously criticized the White House’s response to the Hur report, saying on CNN that he was “shocked” by Biden’s comments during a prime-time press conference following the findings.
“Two things he said are completely contrary to what Robert Herr found,” he said. “First, Joe Biden says, ‘I did not act intentionally.'” The second sentence of the summary says, “President Biden intentionally kept classified material.” The facts here show that it was intentional. he knew. he talked about it. ”
President Joe Biden sits in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday, February 9, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
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Mr. Honig then claimed that Mr. Biden had not disclosed the documents to the ghostwriter, but pointed out that the special counsel’s report said otherwise.
“Mr. Biden shared information with the ghostwriter, including some of the classified information contained in these notes,” Honig said, quoting from the report. He went on to tell his autobiographer that Biden was “still recording after leaving the vice presidency.” [that] Confidential documents are located underground. ”
Mr. Honig and Mr. O’Donnell are not the only journalists who have spoken out against Sams.
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Last Friday, Gray Television’s White House correspondent John Decker took issue with Sams’ background and asked the White House Counsel to take over the press conference after the press secretary allegedly provided false information. Ta.
Sams asked, “Should I be upset about that?” He stammered in surprise, “What? I mean, come on.”
NBC News, Dylanian and Sam’s did not respond to inquiries, while NY Magazine and CNN declined to comment.
FOX News’ Jeffrey Clark and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
