Current Events > Biden aide threatened reporter pursuing a story about his relationship

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https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/i-will-destroy-you-biden-aide-threatened-a-politico-reporter-pursuing-a-story-on-his-relationship

A White House official tried to quash a story about his relationship with a reporter by issuing threats and using derogatory language to another reporter pursuing it, according to two sources familiar with the incident. In a sympathetic profile Monday, People revealed that White House Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo is dating Axios political reporter Alexi McCammond, who covered the Joe Biden campaign. But behind the scenes, Ducklo had previously lashed out at Politico reporter Tara Palmeri, who was reporting the story, exhibiting behavior that led to tense meetings between the Washington news outlets editors and senior White House officials.

After Vanity Fair published this account, the White House announced that Ducklo would be suspended for one week.

The confrontation began on Inauguration Day, January 20, after Palmeri, a coauthor of Politicos Playbook, contacted McCammond for comment while one of her male colleagues left a message for Ducklo, according to the sources. Ducklo subsequently called a Playbook editor to object to the story, but was told to call the Playbook reporters with his concerns. But instead of calling the male reporter who initially contacted him, Ducklo tried to intimidate Palmeri by phone in an effort to kill the story. I will destroy you, Ducklo told her, according to the sources, adding that he would ruin her reputation if she published it.

During the off-the-record call, Ducklo made derogatory and misogynistic comments, accusing Palmeri of only reporting on his relationshipwhich, due to the ethics questions that factor into the relationship between a journalist and White House official, falls under the purview of her reporting beatbecause she was jealous that an unidentified man in the past had wanted to fuck McCammond and not you. Ducklo also accused Palmeri of being jealous of his relationship with McCammond. (Palmeri had no prior relationship or communication with McCammond before calling her to report on the Playbook item, which was a story that she was assigned and had not independently pursued.)

The following day, an editor at Politico reached out to the White House about Ducklos threats, spurring multiple conversations between the news outlet and senior-level officials on January 21, including White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, and Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn. In one of those calls, senior White House officials acknowledged that Ducklos handling of the call with Palmeri was inappropriate and said he would send a note to her apologizing for the comments. In another conversation, the same White House officials took aim at Palmeri by accusing her of breaking an off-the-record agreement with Ducklo and pressing Politico as to why the contents of the call had been revealed. Palmeri had only informed her editors of the contents of the call, which she had transcribed into her notes as it was happening, after they asked her about it.

Palmeri declined to comment. Psaki and Ducklo did not immediately respond to requests for comment. After publication, Psaki issued a statement: TJ Ducklo has apologized to the reporter, with whom he had a heated conversation about his personal life. He is the first to acknowledge this is not the standard of behavior set out by the President. In addition to his initial apology, he has sent the reporter a personal note expressing his profound regret. With the approval of the White House Chief of Staff, he has been placed on a one-week suspension without pay. In addition, when he returns, he will no longer be assigned to work with any reporters at Politico.

When the series of calls between the White House and Politico had concluded, Ducklo sent Palmeri an email stating that he was sorry he lost his cool, but he did not delve into any specifics or apologize for threatening and sexually harassing the reporter, according to sources familiar with the exchange. Politico reported on Ducklo and McCammonds relationship in Tuesdays Playbook, after it was first revealed the previous night by People.

Ducklos alleged response to Politicos reporting raises serious questions about behavior that is tolerated in the Biden White House. I am not joking when I say this: If you are ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts, Biden said during a virtual swearing-in of appointees on his first day in the White House. Playbook highlighted those remarks on January 21 under the heading Biden Sets Standard for Professional Behavior, and asked, Serious question on our minds this morning: Does this standard apply to how mid-level press aides treat reporters?

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he must be using essence of MAGA

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Lol suspended for a week
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Are reporters people tho?

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It's a fishy story.

Axios was founded by a bunch of reporters who were sick of working at Politico.
Politico then tries to expose an Axios reporter over this relationship.

You really have to be closely following the Washington beat to remotely give a shit about any of this.

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Good hearted people dont say things like I will destroy you. Just my opinion

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oh are we supposed to start caring how politicians conduct themselves now that Trump is out

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He has been suspended for a week because of this

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thronedfire2 posted...

oh are we supposed to start caring how politicians conduct themselves now that Trump is out

um..yes? Obviously we cared about trump too and the gop exposed itself for what it was. That doesnt mean we now lower the bar just because we had a terrible leader.

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thronedfire2 posted...

oh are we supposed to start caring how politicians conduct themselves now that Trump is out

Uhh, one of the longest running complaints about Trump and his cronies was their conduct.

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Think tara has any relation to frankie?

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thronedfire2 posted...

oh are we supposed to start caring how politicians conduct themselves now that Trump is out

Did you stop?

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I forgot the /s

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Update
https://twitter.com/TDucklo/status/1360743092421353472


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Biden said anyone mistreating people would be fired on the spot.

The White House knew about this weeks ago and nothing was done and then only suspended him once the story came out to the public.

Ducklo has now resigned.

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So this idiot decided to romance a DC beat journalist (who is always on TV) and didn't anticipate for one second that someone would find out and report about it?

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Deja Blue 03 posted...

Biden said anyone mistreating people would be fired on the spot.

The White House knew about this weeks ago and nothing was done and then only suspended him once the story came out to the public.

Ducklo has now resigned.

Yeah Biden handled this rather terribly.

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Iodine posted...

Yeah Biden handled this rather terribly.

I doubt Biden even knew about this. If anyone's to blame, I'd say it's Jen Psaki.

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These reporters are so slutty

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damn

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Da fuck is vanity fair?

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DepreceV2 posted...

Da fuck is vanity fair?

A long-running magazine, have you really never heard of it?

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Antifar posted...

A long-running magazine, have you really never heard of it?

I legit havent

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LookANinja posted...

damn

Would ruin my career for tbh

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