White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced plans to leave her current position and transfer to MSNBC sometime around May, prompting criticism over the "ethical" astuteness of her decision.
For weeks, there have been speculations that the official was planning to leave the White House for a TV gig. More often than not, White House communications staffers negotiate TV careers after they have left an administration and not while they are still serving their posts.
Jen Psaki Leaving the White House?
Psaki has allegedly been in close consultation with the White House counsel's office regarding her departure, two sources familiar with the plans said. It was noted that the press secretary has been treading carefully on the ethics and legal aspects of her plans.
Despite the rumors, no contracts have been signed regarding Psaki's transfer to MSNBC as government ethics rules have stipulations regarding how public employees can pursue private-sector job opportunities while in office. It is believed that she has not yet told the White House press team about her departure, an administration source said, as per Axios.
Psaki's transfer to MSNBC will have her as the host for a show on the streaming platform Peacock, and she is also expected to appear on the network's shows. On the other hand, MSNBC officials declined to comment regarding the issue.
One White House official declined to confirm Psaki's plans and added that the press secretary was working hard every day on behalf of United States President Joe Biden to get the answers to questions that Americans may have.
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According to CNN, currently, there is no clear indication as to who will be replacing Psaki when she steps down from her post. While the White House declined to comment, deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is sure to be under consideration.
Psaki was grilled by reporters after she refused to confirm the report that alleged she plans to leave the White House for MSNBC. The press secretary's response brought to question the ethics of the situation.
Transferring to MSNBC
Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich confirmed that the White House official was planning to transfer to the media outlet. MSNBC allegedly beat out CNN in a bidding war to acquire Psaki as a talent.
When asked by a CBS reporter, Ed O'Keefe, if it was ethical for Psaki to continue her job at the White House while negotiating with a media outlet, the press secretary said, "Well, I have always gone over and above the stringent ethical and legal requirements of the Biden administration and I take that very seriously."
Psaki said that she has received rigorous ethics counseling as it relates to any future employment because it was a standard for every employee at the White House. She noted that she had complied with all ethics requirements and went beyond them to make appropriate decisions.
One reporter asked if it was part of White House policy to allow staffers to engage in discussions, whether directly or indirectly, with institutions that could affect their current post. Psaki said the policy ensures that any person who was having such conversations did so through consultation with the White House counsel's office, Fox News reported.
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