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White House deputy press secretary T.J. Ducklo was given a one week suspension for allegedly threatening and demeaning a female reporter. This has led to accusations that Joe Biden lied weeks ago when he promised to fire people in his administration on the spot for offenses like this.

Ducklo Went Off On Female Reporter

Ducklo reportedly went off on Politico reporter Tara Palmeri, making “derogatory and misogynistic” comments towards her after she asked about his romantic relationship with Axios reporter Alexi McCammond.

Sources told Vanity Fair that in an off-the-record call on January 20, Ducklo threatened to “destroy” Palmeri and claimed that she only asked him about McCammond because she was jealous that an unidentified man in the past had wanted to “f—” McCammond and not Palmeri.

White House Resonds

Though White House officials suspended Ducklo, they also criticized Palmeri for breaking an off-the-record agreement with him.

“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,” tweeted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

“In addition to his initial apology, he has sent the reporter a personal note expressing his profound regret,” she said.

“With the approval of the White House Chief of Staff, he has been placed on a one-week suspension without pay,” she added. “In addition, when he returns, he will no longer be assigned to work with any reporters at Politico.”

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.

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) February 12, 2021

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.

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) February 12, 2021

Biden’s Pledge

This comes a month after Biden said that he would fire any of his appointees, “no ifs, ands,” or buts,” if he learned that they had disrespected their colleagues in any way.

The fact that Ducklo has not been fired has led many to say that Biden broke his pledge.

And we have a new definition of slap on the wrist,” Nevada-based journalist Jon Ralston tweeted.

“If what he said was reported accurately — and it is a secondary but interesting question about how an OTR convo got reported and when OTR can be breached — Ducklo should have been fired. What he said was repellent and sexist,” he continued.

This is, of course, not what Biden promised just three weeks ago.

He said specifically at that time he would fire "on the spot" anyone who treats "another colleague with disrespect" or talks "down to someone — no ifs, and or buts." https://t.co/GBSoeMg9Io

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 12, 2021

Backlash Grows

Others feel the same way:

This is, of course, not what Biden promised just three weeks ago.

He said specifically at that time he would fire "on the spot" anyone who treats "another colleague with disrespect" or talks "down to someone — no ifs, and or buts." https://t.co/GBSoeMg9Io

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 12, 2021

Did the White House know what was said when he penned the apology? If so, why are we getting the suspension only after the facts became public? https://t.co/gwUNDBU4yP

— Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) February 12, 2021

So Ducklo is banned from working with any reporters at Politico, because of his misogynistic insults aimed at a Politico reporter, but he can still work with reporters at Axios, where his girlfriend is employed as a reporter covering the VP. https://t.co/2rFf9j5Tbk

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) February 12, 2021

#BREAKING: The White House press shop says not only is T.J. Ducklo not going to lose his job, but he's only being suspended for a week without pay.

And he wrote a note to Tara Palmeri saying he's sorry, so it's all good. pic.twitter.com/0cyGGvRZ7A

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2021

Well it's a good thing his boss did not boldly declare three weeks ago that anyone in the administration who disrespects or talks down to others would be fired on the spot https://t.co/TdDuCD7Yik

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) February 12, 2021

Despite her relationship with Ducklo, McCammond was reassigned to cover Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden himself has yet to comment on the situation.

This piece was written by James Samson on February 12, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post WH Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo Suspended For Reportedly Threatening, Demeaning Female Reporter appeared first on The Political Insider.

On Wednesday, President Trump blasted John Bolton, calling his former national security adviser’s upcoming book that reportedly reveals details about the Ukraine affair at the center of the president’s impeachment “nasty” and “untrue.”

Trump said Bolton “begged” him for a job and that his former top aide made “mistakes of judgment” during his time at the White House, citing a television appearance in April 2018 in which Bolton said the administration was considering the “Libya model” for North Korea regarding negotiations over halting nuclear weapons development.

‘If I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now’

Trump said Bolton was “fired because, frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now.”

Trump wondered why Bolton would write a book about his tenure “IMMEDIATELY” after his firing, calling it “nasty & untrue.”

For a guy who couldn’t get approved for the Ambassador to the U.N. years ago, couldn’t get approved for anything since, “begged” me for a non Senate approved job, which I gave him despite many saying “Don’t do it, sir,” takes the job, mistakenly says “Libyan Model” on T.V., and..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

….many more mistakes of judgement, gets fired because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book. All Classified National Security. Who would do this?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

These tweets come in the wake of a report by The New York Times that Bolton wrote in his upcoming book that Trump told him he wanted to continue to suspend U.S. aid to Ukraine until the country agreed to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Trump has repeatedly denied Bolton’s accusation, as have allies of the president who continue to question Bolton’s credibility and motives.

Will Bolton Take the Stand?

Bolton’s revelations have had an impact on the ongoing Senate impeachment trial, raising pressure on Republicans to support calling him as a witness, something the White House would like to avoid.

The Hill reports, “The excerpt contradicts a key part of Trump’s defense — namely that he never tied security assistance for Ukraine to investigations, something House impeachment managers have alleged.”

“Trump’s defense attorneys addressed the issue during their opening arguments on Monday and Tuesday, with the president’s personal attorney Jay Sekulow citing Trump’s denial and urging senators to disregard the reported details of the manuscript by calling it ‘inadmissible,” noted The Hill. “Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz also argued Monday evening that even if Bolton’s reported account were true, the allegations would not rise to the level of an impeachable offense.”

Trump to GOP: Don’t Get Played By Democrats

Trump tweeted about Bolton and the impeachment trial a few times late night on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.

“Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this ‘nonsense’ a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!” Trump wrote.

Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this “nonsense” a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

Trump continued, “Remember Republicans, the Democrats already had 17 witnesses, we were given NONE! Witnesses are up to the House, not up to the Senate,” the president tweeted. “Don’t let the Dems play you!”

Remember Republicans, the Democrats already had 17 witnesses, we were given NONE! Witnesses are up to the House, not up to the Senate. Don’t let the Dems play you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

Will Republicans let the Dems “play” them?

Stay tuned.

The post Trump Blasts Bolton Over ‘Nasty’ and ‘Untrue’ Book appeared first on The Political Insider.