Fox News Reporter Accuses White House Of Breaking The Law

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Today’s White House press briefing got heated over a question from Fox News about who’s received the “viral email” sent out today as part of the administration’s health care reform push.

Fox News correspondent Major Garrett said he’d heard reports of people receiving the email, even though they hadn’t signed up for the White House email list. Garrett also said they hadn’t signed up to receive emails from Organizing for America, President Obama’s political group.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs cut him off, saying the OFA has nothing to do with White House emails.

“I want you to rephrase your question that doesn’t continue to assume that someone’s violating the law,” Gibbs said. Garrett repeated the question, this time replacing “OFA” with “Senator Obama as a candidate” — still implying an illegal act.

He then asked if the White House was using databases or other “information about people” to target those who might be interested in health care reform. Gibbs said he didn’t think so, but he’d have to look into that.

When Garrett insisted on an answer, Gibbs said he’d have to check the email list to see what had happened.

“You need the email addresses of these people?” Garrett asked, apparently aghast.

“I appreciate the fact that [you think] I have omnipotent clarity as to what you’ve received in your email box,” Gibbs said.

Garrett, visibly annoyed, cut him off, saying, “I’m telling you what I got!”

Gibbs then called on another reporter, muttering something about looking for a more “constructive” question.

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