(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Due to her growing conflicts of interest within the mainstream media, White House press secretary Jen Psaki may find herself subject to a federal investigation, Western Journal reported.
Psaki has been networking and negotiating for jobs within at least two different news media outlets and publicly criticized a competitor of theirs. Protect the People’s Trust, an ethics watchdog group, took issue with the apparent conflicts.
“Ms. Psaki has continued to brief reporters from the White House podium, including reporters from networks she has reportedly been negotiating with, without any apparent restrictions, creating a potential conflict of interest,” wrote Michael Chamberlain, PPT director.
Chamberlain sent a letter with his concerns to officials at the Justice Department, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics and the White House
He wants to hold Psaki and the Biden administration to their commitments to be “an example of engagement and transparency.”
“Ms. Psaki engaged in an apparent misuse of her official position when she publicly disparaged Fox News, a competitor of her reported future employer,” Chamberlain wrote.
Psaki recently announced she would be leaving the White House to become a talking head for MSNBC, which outbid an offer from CNN.
“The appearance of a conflict of interest risks further damaging the already low level of public trust in government,” according to Chamberlain, as he called for an investigation to see “whether Ms.Psaki violated her ethical duties, either in her remarks regarding Fox News or in her conduct while negotiating non-federal employment.”
After being introduced as the White House press secretary during an interview on podcast “Pod Save America,” Psaki disparaged White House correspondent Peter Doocy, saying she agreed with Biden that Doocy was a “stupid son of a b***h.”
Critics are concerned that Psaki is already seeing herself as a news commentator instead of a supposedly unbiased, non-partisan voice discussing the issues that concern American citizens.
Psaki has not yet made a comment on the potential investigation.
