Spicer: ‘Not At Liberty’ To Discuss Report That WH Officials Gave Nunes Intel

Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks during the Daily Briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, March 29, 2017.Photo by Olivier Douliery/ Abaca(Sipa via AP Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday said that he is “not at liberty” to discuss a report that White House officials helped provide House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) with intelligence reports.

“To comment on that story would be to validate certain things that I’m not at liberty to do,” Spicer told reporters at his daily briefing.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that two White House officials helped provide Nunes with reports allegedly showing that communications of members of President Donald Trump’s transition were caught up by incidental surveillance.

Spicer said that Nunes “has an opportunity to have his sources,” comparing it to a journalist’s responsibility to protect anonymous tipsters, though Spicer has previously expressed concern about leaks.

In February, he reportedly ordered staffers to hand over their phones for a “phone check” during a meeting to deter leakers — which itself was then leaked to the media.

On Monday, however, Spicer appeared to have reversed that position. He told reporters that the White House is “not concerned” about leaks in the context of Nunes’ alleged information.

“You told us you’re willing to look into and ask questions about the process and provide us answers,” CBS’ Major Garrett asked Spicer.

“Please don’t put words in my mouth. I never said I would provide you answers. I said we would look into it,” Spicer said.

“If it were wrong, would you tell us?” Garrett pressed, referring to the New York Times report.

“I’m not going to get into it,” Spicer said. “How many times can you ask the same question?”

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Well, there’s a full-throated denial if I’ve ever seen one.

  2. Spicer added “Look, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you one hundred times. Do as I say, not as I do.”

  3. It’s kind of a pathetic to watch someone who’s so bad at his job being bad at it in real time. He’s channelling trumpp speak very well, however.

  4. Here comes his Trumpteenth nervous breakdown

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

24 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for alliebean Avatar for ajaykalra Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for sysprog Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for gelfling545 Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for pmm080 Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for new10 Avatar for riverstreet Avatar for dnl Avatar for gharlane Avatar for bankerpup Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for j.dave Avatar for brian512 Avatar for corncaucus2008 Avatar for bluefalcon Avatar for justruss Avatar for outsidertrading618

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: