Unbelievable.
If jackass Jay Carney is to be believed, after learning about the IRS targeting conservatives, White House senior staffers decided not to inform the president. According to Carney, it was neither “necessary” or “appropriate” for Obama to know what was going on.
Jay Carney: WH was informed of IRS IG probe, but did not have copy and/or most details on Tea Party targeting
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
Carney says WH counsel was told on April 24, but did not know when the report would be released/published
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
Carney bottom line: neither the White House nor the Treasury Dept intervened in the IRS IG investigation
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
But it was more than just WH counsel – as Chief of Staff and other senior staffers were given a heads up
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
Carney says there were conversations between WH senior staff and Treasury after that notification
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
Carney says decision was made that "there was not a need to inform the President" of upcoming IRS IG report
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 20, 2013
“Not a need” to let the president know about corruption within the IRS? Really?
Carney says WH counsel's office "routinely" receives heads ups on IG reports. She was told of "tea party" and "patriot" targeting
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) May 20, 2013
Carney says WH counsel did not get a copy of draft report. Senior WH staff (including CoS) was told of this report.
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) May 20, 2013
Carney says WH Counsel learned April 24th that IRS Inspector General report was near completion, but decided no need to inform Pres Obama.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 20, 2013
Why the need to keep the president in the dark, Jay?
Carney says it would have been wrong for anyone in WH to act on IRS report until it was formally released.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 20, 2013
Is this customary practice in the White House?
CNN to Carney: "Is it standard practice to insulate the president from IG reports?"
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) May 20, 2013
I'd love to know what other matters, the WH counsel, "in her judgment," believes shouldn't be conveyed to the President.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 20, 2013
So would we.
While Carney’s story about the president existing in a bubble, insulated from knowledge of developing scandals, is almost certainly B.S., the fact that he insists that Obama doesn’t need to know what’s going on under his nose is absolutely ludicrous — and very troubling.
I don't believe a word of it, but I'm astonished that the admin is literally claiming Obama knows nothing about anything.
— RBe (@RBPundit) May 20, 2013
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/336547436636033024
No leader worth his salt would put up with that kind of crap:
"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me?" — what an outraged person says when he finds out everybody under him knew something terrible
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) May 20, 2013
Exactly.
Ah, so White House Counsel, Chief of Staff, and other senior WH officials knew — but never once mentioned it to the president?
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
.@WhiteHouse Hey, is the president at all pissed that – by your own claim – all these advisers knew of a scandal and no one told him?
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
.@WhiteHouse 'Cause if what you say is true, the president was caught off-guard on a major scandal b/c his employees kept him in the dark.
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
If I'm Obama I'm yelling to advisers: "My second term is off to a sh*t-start because none of you f*ckers decided to tell me about the IRS?"
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
If true, and I'm Obama, I'm freaking pissed that I was caught off-guard by a major scandal because no one in my senior staff told me.
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
So what Carney's saying is WH senior staff conspired to withhold critical information from the president of the United States. #FireThem
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
That would be the logical response, no?
Hey, should we tell the guy at the top a major scandal is about to derail us all? Nah. He loves surprises.
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
The White House Press Corps wasn’t buying Carney’s swill:
Carney's about ten seconds from getting laughed out of the briefing room with this ridiculous "nobody told the boss about IRS" spin.
— John Hayward (@Doc_0) May 20, 2013
White House reporters not buying this "no one told Obama about this scandal and he's not angry" spin.
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
"What's the point of notifying anyone if nothing's to be done?" oh wow that was good
— Moe Lane (@Ogiel23) (@moelane) May 20, 2013
Reporter: If the IG report isn't worthy of the president's attention, exactly what is?
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) May 20, 2013
Bam!
Carney may insist that he revels in the questioning, but if he genuinely believes that he’s doing himself or the Obama administration any favors with his whiny obfuscation, he’s woefully wrong.
So if there's an IG investigation on any topic taking place, the president is then prohibited from acting to stop bad behavior? That a rule?
— Brendan Buck (@BrendanBuck) May 20, 2013
https://twitter.com/Aaron_RS/status/336554781965447168
https://twitter.com/BenHowe/status/336558842710220801
https://twitter.com/BenHowe/status/336567751936200705
I want to know the names of the folks who get to decide what Obama doesn't need to know. What are their credentials? Who elected them?
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 20, 2013
Who knew, apparently the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES is on a "need to know basis" with his own staff.
— Morgen Richmond (@morgenr) May 20, 2013
There is no positive way to spin this.
Now, the WH says the President didn't know. I therefore conclude that he is incompetent. That's the scandal.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 20, 2013