White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Archives for March 2017

Breitbart Application for Permanent Congressional Press Passes Rejected

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Breitbart News, the right-wing online news site formerly run by White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, has been denied permanent press credentials by the U.S. Senate press gallery.

The press gallery has requested Breitbart to clarify questions about its ownership and funding, such as several links between the site and employees and the wealthy Mercer family, who supported President Trump during the 2016 election.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the Mercers spent $10 million in acquiring a majority interest in Breitbart News in 2011.

Senate passes are often seen as a step toward membership in the White House Correspondents Association, which would allow being part of the official White House “pool” of journalists that file reports on the president and administration activities.

Any media outlet wishing to obtain permanent access to the Capitol through press passes are required to reveal certain financial information to guarantee the news organization is not tied to a special interest group.

Additionally, the Senate press gallery committee was concerned over the office location of Breitbart, which is not zoned for office use.  Breitbart had said it was in the process of moving offices.

The committee has granted a two-month extension on Breitbart’s temporary press passes, and requested new information on the application by April 18.

Heather Podesta + Partners Rebrands as Invariant

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Heather Podesta at the GOP Convention in 2016. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

The powerful bipartisan lobbying firm founded by Heather Podesta a decade ago is rebranding itself as Invariant.

Heather Podesta + Partners started out with two employees – including its namesake, Heather.  After the first year, the firm boasted a roster of six lobbyists.  Today, the multi-million dollar firm is the largest woman-owned lobbying firm in the nation and prides itself on professionals working with key policymakers across party lines.

Podesta said in a statement that “Now in our 10th year, this firm is so much bigger than just me. We need a name that captures our team’s commitment to clients. The more Washington changes, the more our clients need us to be constant. Dependable. Invariant.”

Clients include the American Beverage Association, Cigna Corp, News Media Alliance, Fitbit, Red Bull, Herbalife, the National Cannabis Industry Association, Prudential Financial and Home Depot.

The firm’s name change is effective as of March 29.  For more information, please visit their website at Invariantgr.com.

No White House Staff Will Attend Correspondents’ Dinner

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Correspondents’ Dinner place setting. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

There will be no representative from the White House at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. The Trump administration announced late Tuesday that White House staff will not attend this year’s Dinner out of “solidarity” with the president.

WHCA president Jeff Mason of Reuters sent a letter to the organization stating that “[t]he White House informed the White House Correspondents’ Association this evening that White House staff will not be attending this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner out of ‘solidarity’ with President Trump, who has previously announced that he would skip the event.”

The president announced on Twitter in February that he would not attend the annual dinner. But various White House figures had been rumored to be planning on attending, such as Vice President Mike Pence, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

“Only the White House can speak to the signal it wants to send with this decision, but our signal is clear,” wrote Mason. “We will celebrate the First Amendment on April 29 and look forward to acknowledging the important work of our terrific members and awarding scholarships to students who represent the next generation of our profession.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner will be held on April 29 at the Washington Hilton. Proceeds for the event go toward scholarships for exceptional students in journalism.

First Lady Names Stephanie Grisham as Communications Director

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Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Melania Trump has named Stephanie Grisham as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications to the First Lady. In this role, Grisham will lead all communications on behalf of the First Lady.

“Stephanie is a wonderful addition to the team. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the job, and will be an incredible asset to my office as we build out our agenda, preserve our country’s rich traditions, and serve the American people,” said the First Lady in a written statement.

Grisham currently serves as Deputy Press Secretary in the White House, transitioning to the First Lady’s office in the coming weeks. She was the former press secretary for the Arizona House of Representatives and has over a decade of experience working in communications, logistics and media relations. During the campaign, she was responsible for securing and running the campaign’s press plane, which travelled independently of then-candidate Donald Trump.

“I am honored by the opportunity to serve as the First Lady’s Director of Communications,” said Grisham. “Mrs. Trump’s life story is an inspiration to millions of mothers and female entrepreneurs, and to me personally. I deeply respect and admire her commitment to our country, her family, and to the important role of the First Lady. I look forward to helping her communicate her unifying message of kindness and empowerment.”

According to recent reports, Melania Trump will move to the White House from New York City in June, after the school year for her 10-year old son ends.

State-Owned Russian News Site Applies for Press Pass

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Sputnik, a Russian state-owned news outlet, has applied for a White House Press pass.

The Russian news source is asking for membership in the White House Foreign Press Group.  This group of about 22 foreign outlets covers President Trump alongside pool reporters from U.S. news outlets.

Philip Crowther, White House correspondent for France’s News24 and head of the White House Foreign Press Group, stated that there “shouldn’t be any reason” for the Russian publication to not join the press pool if they meet the required criteria.  These include membership in the White House Correspondents’ Association, verification that Sputnik is based in Russia through the U.S. State Department, and a White House-approved hard pass.

Sputnik is one of the newer Russian state-sponsored news outlets, launching in 2014.  It has received criticism of a staunch pro-Putin position and has been viewed as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin.

President Trump’s campaign and several of his top advisors have been under investigation by the FBI, as confirmed under oath by FBI Director James Comey during a Congressional hearing last week.  The agency is reviewing the possibility of any links or coordination between the campaign and Moscow.

“A tie would be nice” – How Filmmaker Joseph Fusco met Legendary NY Columnist Jimmy Breslin

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With word of the passing of Pulitzer Prize-winning NY columnist and popular author Jimmy Breslin, fans around the world paused to remember the champion of the working class. Joseph Fusco, a filmmaker and lifelong New Yorker, considers himself one of those fans.

Fusco, Director of the documentary “Finish Line: The Rise and Demise of Off-Track Betting,” recounts how he scored an interview with his idol for the film. Breslin, known for his straight shooting and unique take on the world, did not disappoint in delivering an encounter to remember.

“Breslin was the quintessential blue-collar guy with a mean disposition and an even meaner sense of justice for the working man. And he was everywhere. He was in the Daily News. He pitched Piels Beer and Grape Nuts cereal on TV. He was a favorite on talk shows. What schlubby columnist has that kind of reach today? Jimmy Breslin oozed personality. Period.”

Reminiscing on the impact Breslin had on New York, Fusco concludes, “When I learned of his passing I realized that even titans must fade away…and how lucky we are to have them in the first place. They just don’t make ‘em like Jimmy Breslin no more.”

They certainly don’t. Rest in peace Jimmy.

(Read more from Joseph Fusco’s piece on Huffington Post here.)

Facebook Launches New Alert to Fight Fake News Articles

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Facebook has begun utilizing a third-party fact checking tool to warn users attempting to post web pages with “disputed content.” The company hopes this alert will assist in the battle against fake news.

Partnering with verified third-party sources such as Snopes or the Associated Press, attempts to post stories that have been fact-checked and concluded wrong will prompt a red alert stating the article has been disputed. Clicking on that warning will bring up a pop-up window with more information “About disputed content.”

“Sometimes people share fake news without knowing it. When independent fact-checkers dispute this content, you may be able to visit their websites to find out why,” the alert reads. “Only fact-checkers signed up to Poynter’s non-partisan code of principles are shown.”

The Poynter code encourages a high standard of excellence in transparent fact-checking and non-partisanship for journalists.

Users ignoring the warning and posting fake news articles will receive a second pop-up stating the article has been disputed. The user may still post the story, although it will appear on others’ timelines with the warning such as “Disputed by Snopes.com and Associated Press.”

Facebook’s fake news alert will be implemented with the help of five independent fact-checking resources: ABC News, Associated Press, FactCheck.org, Polifact and Snopes.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, admitted his site should be held to a higher standard in the fight against fake news than the average person.

“We’re a new kind of platform for public discourse – and that means we have a new kind of responsibility to enable people to have the most meaningful conversations, and to build a space where people can be informed,” Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his own Facebook page.

Time and People Cancel Their White House Correspondents’ Pre-Party

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Time and People Magazines will not hold their annual cocktail reception the night before the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year.

“Time Inc. will not be hosting its annual Time/People party at the St. Regis during this year’s WHCA weekend.  As usual, Time will be participating in the WHCA Dinner,” a spokeswoman said.

The reception has been recognized as a star-studded event during the Correspondents’ Association dinner weekend.

The magazines’ decision follows other organizations’ decisions to cancel festivities surrounding the Dinner.  The New Yorker and Vanity Fair announced in January they opted not to hold their respective parties this year.  Bloomberg followed in announcing theirs cancelled in February.

President Trump announced on Twitter that he would not attend the annual dinner, held on April 29th at the Washington Hilton.  The last time a president did not attend the dinner was in 1981, when Ronald Reagan was recovering from an assassination attempt.  Reagan did send a video message.

White House Correspondents Say Spicer Turning Daily Briefings into Chaotic Shouting Matches

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James Brady Press Briefing Room, 2007. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Long-time reporters covering the White House have complained that the Trump administration is purposefully utilizing inexperienced conservative bloggers to reduce press secretary Sean Spicer’s daily briefings to little more than chaotic shouting matches.

CBS News White House correspondent Major Garrett said the inclusion of right-wing bloggers has reduced the quality of questions during daily briefings.

“[Mainstream, experienced journalists] ask questions that are sharper, more informed.  Not ‘What’s your message today?’… not ‘Here’s a paintbrush; would you paint us a pretty picture?,” Garrett said in an interview with The New Yorker.

Another television journalist, declining to speak on the record, said the current situation does little more than inject chaos into the briefings.

“Maybe you’ll get a question, if you should loud enough.  Who knows?… [The inclusion of bloggers] makes everyone desperate and competitive and makes us look like a bunch of braying jackals.  Which I don’t think is an accident.”

Most conservative bloggers, newly included in the daily briefings by the Trump administration, are under 30 years old and have never worked for a “mainstream” or outlet, instead working for pro-Trump blogs.

The television reporter continued, “At what point does it start to delegitimize the whole idea of what happens in that room?  When does it cross the line into pure trolling?”

Former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers Launches Web Series “World War E”

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Kristi Clemens Rogers, Mike Rogers at 2016 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Former Congressman Mike Rogers, a world-renown cyber-security expert and former chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, announced he will be hosting a new on-demand digital series highlighting the rapidly growing worldwide cyber threat, titled “World War E.”

This short-form digital series will be built around Rogers first-hand knowledge of the global cyber threat and the U.S. preparation and defense against attacks from individuals, foreign agents and governments, and terrorists.

Says Rogers:

“I often tell people that America is in a cyber war and I’m not sure we’re winning. It is an extremely serious issue, because it’s no longer just criminals seeking to steal your money but it is now countries who are using their militaries and intelligence services to steal your information, to ruin American companies, and to damage our critical infrastructure. This is an important topic that affects us all and it’s time that the conversation is brought directly to the American people.”

Early topics include the front lines in the battle for cyberspace, threats to infrastructure and critical American services such as health care and energy, how individuals can protect themselves from their own daily digital footprint online, and even how to prevent future attacks.

“World War E” will be hosted on NY Daily News website (http://nydn.us/WorldWarE), with the first episode, “Cyber War,” premiering Wednesday, March 15. New episodes will post Wednesdays at 11 AM EST. The show is produced by Ora TV, the on-demand digital network behind shows such as “Larry King Now.”

In addition to “World War E,” Rogers also hosts a radio show and is the host of Declassified on CNN.