(See bottom of post for update.) TJ Ducklo, the deputy press secretary for the Biden administration, has been suspended from work for one week for allegedly telling a female reporter from Politico “I will destroy you.”
The reporter, Tara Palmeri, was asking questions about a story Ducklo did not want her to cover. Specifically, his romantic relationship with another member of the press.
From Bloomberg News, via Newsmax:
Biden Press Aide Suspended After Reportedly Threatening JournalistPresident Joe Biden’s White House has suspended one of its spokespeople after a report that he had threatened a reporter who was investigating his relationship with another journalist.TJ Ducklo, a longtime Biden campaign aide who serves as deputy press secretary, will be suspended without pay for one week, according to a statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki.Vanity Fair reported Friday that Ducklo pressured Tara Palmeri, a Politico reporter, over questions about Ducklo’s relationship with Axios reporter Alexi McCammond. “I will destroy you,” Ducklo allegedly told Palmeri, according to Vanity Fair, which cited two sources it didn’t identify. Ducklo and McCammond went public with their relationship in a People magazine story.
The White House struggled with this situation because it conflicts with something Biden said just a few weeks ago. Biden not only said this type of behavior wouldn’t be permitted, he said it would get you fired instantly.
Lia Eustachewich reports at the New York Post:
Psaki stumbles over Ducklo drama after Biden vowed to ‘fire’ aides for harassmentWhite House press secretary Jen Psaki waffled Friday when grilled on TJ Ducklo’s one-week suspension for threatening a journalist — even though President Biden has vowed to fire his aides “on the spot” for harassment.Psaki said the remarks from Ducklo — who threatened to “destroy” Politico reporter Tara Palmeri for reporting about his personal relationship — were “completely unacceptable” but refused to address why he wasn’t outright fired.“We felt it was a serious punishment,” Psaki told reporters at a White House press briefing.Biden’s zero-tolerance promise came as he swore in his appointees on Inauguration Day.“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,” he said at the time. “On the spot. No ifs, ands or buts. Everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity. That’s been missing in a big way the last four years.”
See the video of Biden’s remarks below:
Ducklo also reportedly threatened to ruin this journalist’s reputation.
This quick clip from last September will give you a glimpse into TJ Ducklo’s personality. Wow.
It’s fun to imagine the media’s reaction if someone who worked for the Trump White House threatened to “destroy” a female journalist. It would have been a weeks long scandal, there would be demands for his firing, and it would be described as an assault not only on the First Amendment but on all women.
UPDATE: Ducklo has resigned.
Featured image via YouTube.
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