https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230917/sign-of-desperation-expert-on-white-house-tips-on-covering-biden-impeachment-inquiry-1062172818.html
Sign of 'Desperation': Expert on White House Tips on Covering Biden Impeachment Inquiry
Sign of 'Desperation': Expert on White House Tips on Covering Biden Impeachment Inquiry
Sputnik Africa
On Wednesday, the White House sent a letter to US news organizations, urging the media to "scrutinize the demonstrably false claims" made by House Republicans... 17.09.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-09-17T14:18+0200
2023-09-17T14:18+0200
2023-09-17T15:33+0200
united states (us)
joe biden
donald trump
white house
ukraine
investigation
corruption
politics
presidential election
elections
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A memo sent by the Democratic administration to the media with instructions and recommendations on how to cover the investigation announced by Republicans this week has been condemned by all sorts of journalists and observers.Biden's Impeachment InquiryOn Tuesday 12 September, Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that he has directed a legislative committee to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden for his alleged ties to his son Hunter's illegal business. The investigation will focus on Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine, which Republicans have been investigating since before they took their current House majority this year. According to McCarthy, Republicans have uncovered evidence of phone calls, money transfers and other activities that "paint a picture of a culture of corruption" in the Biden family.He went on to say that bank statements show payments of nearly $20 million to the Biden family and related individuals through various shell companies. McCarthy added that the Treasury Department alone has records of more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and their business partners who have been flagged as "suspicious". Republicans say the information they have received shows abuse of power, obstruction of justice and corruption. White House Responds to House Republicans' InquiryAgainst this backdrop, on 13 September, Special Assistant to the President Ian Sams, who is also senior advisor and spokesman for the White House Counsel's Office, sent an email to the heads of major US media outlets with recommendations for how the impeachment investigation should be covered.The letter claimed that the charges against the president were "based on lies". It also included a 14-page document detailing the White House's official position on various allegations related to the alleged corruption case. It was suggested that they be considered "useful information" for news articles.The White House strategy was widely condemned by the US press, with journalists saying that the federal government has no authority to give orders to the nation's media. They called the Biden administration's attempt to manipulate the press "alarming". One of the US media outlets indicated that the really good thing about the document is that it will expose those who follow White House dictates.In this light, Irwing Rico, a professor at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Sputnik that given Biden's low popularity with just more than a year left before the election, and the "inconvenient" details of his son's case, it was inevitable that the White House would be willing to step in and contain the damage.Rico emphasized that the letter is "a clear sign of desperation" and Biden's team's concern that the scandal will hurt his weak approval ratings.According to recent opinion polls, Rico elaborated, Hunter Biden's case of "more than a little questionable behavior" is hurting President Biden's image and reputation right ahead of the 2024 elections.
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united states (us), joe biden, donald trump, white house, ukraine, investigation, corruption, politics, presidential election, elections, international
united states (us), joe biden, donald trump, white house, ukraine, investigation, corruption, politics, presidential election, elections, international
Sign of 'Desperation': Expert on White House Tips on Covering Biden Impeachment Inquiry
14:18 17.09.2023 (Updated: 15:33 17.09.2023) On Wednesday, the White House sent a letter to US news organizations, urging the media to "scrutinize the demonstrably false claims" made by House Republicans in their impeachment investigation of President Joe Biden.
A memo sent by the Democratic administration to the media with instructions and recommendations on how to cover the investigation announced by Republicans this week has been condemned by all sorts of journalists and observers.
Biden's Impeachment Inquiry
On Tuesday 12 September, Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that he has directed a legislative committee to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden for his alleged ties to his son Hunter's illegal business.
The investigation will focus on Hunter Biden's
business dealings in Ukraine, which Republicans have been investigating since before they took their current House majority this year. According to McCarthy, Republicans have uncovered evidence of phone calls, money transfers and other activities that "paint a picture of a culture of corruption" in the Biden family.
He went on to say that bank statements show payments of nearly $20 million to the Biden family and related individuals through various shell companies. McCarthy added that the Treasury Department alone has records of more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and their business partners who have been flagged as "suspicious".
Republicans say the information they have received shows abuse of power, obstruction of justice and
corruption.
White House Responds to House Republicans' Inquiry
Against this backdrop, on 13 September, Special Assistant to the President Ian Sams, who is also senior advisor and spokesman for the White House Counsel's Office, sent an email to the heads of major US media outlets with recommendations for how the impeachment investigation should be covered.
The letter claimed that the charges against the president were "based on lies". It also included a 14-page document detailing the White House's official position on various allegations related to the alleged corruption case. It was suggested that they be considered "useful information" for news articles.
"It’s time for the media to ramp up its scrutiny of House Republicans for opening an impeachment inquiry based on lies," Sams wrote in the letter.
The White House strategy was widely condemned by the US press, with journalists saying that the federal government has no authority to give orders to the nation's media. They called the Biden administration's attempt to manipulate the press "alarming". One of the US media outlets indicated that the really good thing about the document is that it will expose those who follow White House dictates.
In this light,
Irwing Rico, a professor at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Sputnik that given Biden's low popularity with just more than a year left before the
election, and the "inconvenient" details of his son's case, it was inevitable that the White House would be willing to step in and contain the damage.
Rico emphasized that the letter is "a clear sign of desperation" and Biden's team's concern that the scandal will hurt his weak approval ratings.
"Although this strategy has drawn sharp criticism from the American press, indicating that the Biden administration is interfering with free speech, it also confirms that the matter will be heard in the court of public opinion, which is why the White House is determined to influence it," the expert stressed.
According to recent opinion polls, Rico elaborated, Hunter Biden's case of "more than a little questionable behavior" is hurting President Biden's image and reputation right ahead of the
2024 elections.
"Biden is not a popular president as Barack Obama or even Donald Trump were, so even the smallest scandal could affect his chances of re-election," Rico concluded.
