White House Correspondents Insider

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

Kellyanne Conway: Expect Staff Shake Up in Wake of Explosive White House Leaks

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Kellyanne Conway at the 2018 Garden Brunch

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway took to the airwaves to defend the Trump administration against a series of leaks coming out of the White House press shop. One of the leaks has sparked outrage from all sides when communications staffer Kelly Sadler claimed that Senator John McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel becoming CIA Director “doesn’t matter” and that “he’s dying anyway.”

In an appearance on FOX News Monday morning, May 15th, Conway hinted that there may be personnel changes coming soon. “There are all kinds of leaks. Some leaks exist to hurt, I guess, colleagues, some leaks exist because they disagree with the policies that are being put forth, but none of them are helpful…Something else that’s gone on in this White House but not as badly as it was at the beginning, where it’s not so much leaking as using the media to shiv each other, and that was going on quite a bit at the beginning of this administration and it’s less so now.”

Meanwhile, President Trump took to Twitter to claim the leaks were “fake news”:

The White House has yet to issue an apology to Senator McCain for the staffer’s comments despite calls to do so from Congressmen and women on both sides of the aisle.

Tammy Haddad interviews Ronan Farrow for Washington Insider Podcast

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Ronan Farrow Book Party 5/3

Ronan Farrow appeared Friday, May 4th at Cafe Milano in an event hosted by Franco Nuschese, Kathy O’Hearn, Hilary Rosen, and Tammy Haddad to discuss his new book War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence and his Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal. Tammy Haddad interviewed Ronan during the event as part of the Washington Insider podcast. You can listen and subscribe here.

Farrow’s book charts the militarization of diplomacy, and he interviewed every living Secretary of State, including Rex Tillerson in his final days in office, who for the first time expressed regret that he did not fully familiarize himself with the inner workings of the State Department before agreeing to take the job.

Ronan Farrow and Franco Nushcese

Fellow Pulitzer Prize-winner and New Yorker colleague Jane Mayer joined Ronan for a toast to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting. He spoke with Tammy Haddad about the experience of writing these complex stories, “The stories needed to be bulletproof. They needed to account for every counterargument…I try to tell the stories that have staying power and reach an incredibly high level of seriousness…you owe it to all the parties to interrogate the claims as skeptical and rigorously as possible.”

Seth Meyers: Trump Demanded I Apologize for WHCD Roast

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Comedian and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers sat down with Edward-Isaac Dovere, chief Washington correspondent for Politico and the host of the “Off Message” podcast, where he claimed that Michael Cohen approached him about Trump appearing on his show as a way of repairing ties after Trump’s comedic roasting at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

According to Meyers, the “Late Night” host invited Donald Trump to appear on his show. Trump’s fixer Michael Cohen stipulated that he would have to publicly apologize to Trump for the supposed slights during Meyers’ stand up routine at the Correspondents’ Dinner. Meyers refused to the terms and the talks stalled.

You can listen to the full Seth Meyers’ interview here.

Michelle Wolf Ruffles Feathers at White House Correspondents Dinner

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Michelle Wolf roasts the President and White House administration officials at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner

Michelle Wolf’s divisive stand-up routine at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner has stirred tensions on both sides of the aisle for her comments on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other administration officials. According to a review by the New York Time’s Michael Grynbaum, Wolf’s performance “took unflinching aim at some of the notables in the room — and quickly opened a divide, largely but not entirely along partisan lines, over the limits of comedy and comity under a president who rarely hesitates to attack the press.”

After Wolf’s performance, the White House Correspondents Association issued an apology, “Last night’s program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press,” White House Correspondents Association President Margaret Talev wrote. “Unfortunately, the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.”

For her part, Wolf is unapologetic about the response her performance received, tweeting “Thank you!” to a statement made by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer calling her comments “disgraceful”.

Washington Media Women Toast Tina Brown

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Time Warner’s Carol Melton and Gail MacKinnon from the Motion Picture Association lead a toast to Superstar editor and author Tina Brown at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington DC. Photo courtesy Haddad Media

Journalist, entrepreneur and author Tina Brown delighted the crowd gathered at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington Tuesday evening, dishing about her experiences as a magazine editor-in-chief, highlighted in her newest book, The Vanity Fair Diaries.

Connie Milstein, Carol Melton, Andrea Mitchell, Hilary Rosen, Gail MacKinnon, Rachel Pearson and Kathy O’Hearn hosted the book party. The biggest applause of the evening came during the Q&A session led by Tammy Haddad, where she was asked her working around men accused of sexually harassing women, including Harvey Weinstein.

“The answer to creepy men is to kind of be the boss, right?… [T]he more women in power, the more women who are leading, the more women on that team, the less of these creepy, stalking harassers you’re going to encounter… I’ve been hassled in other ways, in terms of feeling like so many women feel: cut out of the action that I wanted to be in or underestimated or demeaned or whatever. I’ve had a lot of that in my career,” Brown responded.

Guests included Chris and Lorraine Wallace, former House member Jane Harman, Mac McLarty, Kevin Baron, Megan Smith, Craig Gordon, John Coale, Martha Slagle, Peter Baca, Lloyd Hand, John Phillips, Linda Douglass, Robin Sproul, and Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar.

“You’ll all be in my next ‘Diaries,’” she toasted party attendees near the end of the evening. “So watch out!”

You can read more about Tina’s book and the event in the Washington Post’s write-up of the celebration here.

Brown’s newest book, The Vanity Fair Diaries, was named one of the best books of 2017 by Time, Amazon and The Guardian.  It is available in print, Kindle or audiobook on Amazon.

RTCA Revokes Russian Television Network RT’s Congressional Credentials Following FARA Registration

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Photo courtesy the Kremlin

RT, the Russian international television network funded by the Russian government, has complied with a request from the Department of Justice that it register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

In response to the network’s registration, the Congressional Radio and TV Correspondents’ Gallery officially revoked RT’s credentials on Capitol Hill.

“The rules of the Galleries state clearly that news credentials may not be issued to any applicant employed by any ‘foreign government or representative thereof,” Craig Caplan, chairman of the Radio-Television Correspondents’ Association, wrote in a letter to RT.  “Upon its registration as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registrations Act (FARA), RT Network became ineligible to hold news credentials.”

The network countered the RTCA decision in part by questioning the status of Japanese news agency NHK.  RT stated they had received assurances from the State Department that FARA registration would not affect its operations.  They also claimed other “foreign agent” networks such as Japan’s NHK held Congressional press accreditation.

RT’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan slammed the RTCA decision, stating that it “looks like only RT is denied congressional accreditation on the basis of FARA status, while the likes of NHK and China Daily carry on business as usual, and US officials continue to claim that the forced FARA registration for RT America’s operating company isn’t at all discriminatory.”

The RTCA executive committee responded in an email statement that this is not true.

“In a widely reported response to our decision, RT has questioned the accreditation status of NHK, Japan’s largest publicly-funded broadcast outlet and a longtime Gallery member, asserting they, too, have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).  This is not accurate.  The company in question, NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc., is a separate entity that has never been issued credentials by the Congressional Radio-TV Correspondents’ Galleries”

The Foreign Agents Registration Act was created prior to World War II to prevent foreign propaganda from swaying the American public, particularly Nazi disinformation in the 1930s.

House of Cards Resumes Production on Sixth Season Without Kevin Spacey

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Michael Kelly, star of House of Cards. Photo courtesy Haddad Media

The political drama House of Cards will return for a final eight-episode season in early 2018 without actor Kevin Spacey.

Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos announced Monday that the sixth season of the show will feature Robin Wright.

“We are excited to bring closure to fans,” Sarandos said.  “We’re excited for the 370 people who make ‘House of Cards’ and have done the best work of their lives on that show; for the 2,000 people in Baltimore who have come to depend on that show for their jobs. And so we’re really excited that we were able to come to a good creative conclusion to the show.”

Late October, actor Anthony Rapp told Buzzfeed News that Spacey had tried to sexually assault him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 years old.  Several others then came forth with additional allegations of sexual misconduct by Spacey, including more than 20 people at the Old Vic theater in London, where Spacey was artistic director from 2004 through 2015.

In early November, Netflix severed ties with Spacey.

“Netflix will not be involved with any further production of ‘House of Cards’ that includes Kevin Spacey,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement on November 3.  “We will continue to work with [Media Rights Capital] during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the show.”

During the first five seasons of House of Cards, Spacey played the character of Frank Underwood, a ruthless Southern politician that ultimately ascends to the White House.  Wright plays Claire Underwood, Frank’s wife.  At the end of season five, Frank resigned from the presidency in disgrace and Claire became president.

Journalists Express Mixed Feelings On Attending White House Christmas Party

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Photo courtesy the White House

Following CNN’s announcement they will not attend the annual White House Christmas party for the media, other reporters have expressed mixed responses and reservations over socializing with an administration that often lambastes mainstream journalists as “fake news.”

For example, New York Magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi wrote in an email to Politico that:

“While I don’t think it’s improper to attend social events with the president per se, I personally am uncomfortable with the idea of being a guest in this White House for a party (if I would not be covering the party), given Donald Trump’s stated threats to the First Amendment and general lack of understanding or interest in its importance. For that reason, my personal feelings are that it sends the wrong message to schmooze under mistletoe while our freedoms are under attack. That said, I don’t judge colleagues who arrive at a different conclusion.”

Another White House correspondent, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the record about this topic, said that he would attend the holiday event.

“I do get bothered [by the attacks on the press].  But I don’t view it as our role to engage in a fight with the president. I think that it’s our role to keep doing our jobs reporting the news and not treat it like we’re two warring institutions of American democracy. We don’t need to reciprocate that attitude.”

CNN announced earlier this week it would not be accepting the White House invitation, although they would send a reporting team to the event and report on any relevant news that may come out of the party.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded by posting on Twitter that “Christmas comes early!” because of CNN’s decision.


The White House Christmas party is held annually, and is normally a casual event where reporters mingle off-the-record with administration officials and staff.

Cafe Milano’s 25th Anniversary Bash

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media

Cafe Milano, the legendary DC restaurant famous for being the haunt of politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, and the media elite, celebrated 25 years in the spotlight Friday evening with a fantastic fete.

Maureen Dowd and Michael Jordan. Photo courtesy Ryan Williams

Scores of politicians, dignitaries and celebrities joined in the celebrations at Café Milano, with the massive gathering shutting down an entire block of Georgetown.

Well-wishers and guests throughout the evening include Maureen Dowd, Michael Jordan, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Louise Linton, Maureen Scalia, Wolf and Lynn Blitzer, Sally Quinn, Mark and Sally Ein, Bob Johnson, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Susan Rice, Betsy Fischer Martin and Jonathan Martin, Buffy Cafritz, Heather Lauer, Vernon Jordan and Kathleen Biden, Ret. Gen. Jim Jones, Raul Fernandez, Hilary Rosen, Kelley McCormick, Tammy Haddad, Jack Evans, Coach Kathy Kemper, Carl Hulse, Anne Brady Perron, Rick Powell, Robyn Bash, Bret and Amy Baier, Steve Clemons, Patrick Steel, Fred Ryan, Kevin Cirilli, Ryan Williams, Howard Fineman, Teresa Davis, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Amb. Yousef Al Otaiba, Lyndon Boozer, Dr. Tony Fauci, Tim and Anita McBride, Connie Milstein, Melissa Sowerwine, and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Friends of Cafe Milano suprirsed Nuschese with a 13-minute tribute video, including cameos by Hillary Clinton, Greta Van Susteren, Bob Woodward, Ellen Tauscher, Tucker Carlson, Bret Baier, Newt, Sally Quinn, Charlie Rose, Terry McAuliffe, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush, Norah O’Donnell, Dave Chappelle, and Bo Derek.

We are extremely honored to join countless Washington diners and visitors from around the globe in congratulating Café Milano on 25 years of food, friendship, and comfort.  Our heartfelt wishes for many, many more!

#CafeMilano25

UPDATE:  Please check the event coverage from the Washington Post’s Roxanne Roberts!

 

CAROL MELTON, POWER WOMAN

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Carol Melton and Dana Bash. Photo courtesy Dana Bash.

A DC Cheer to Carol Melton, Time Warner’s Executive Vice President for Global Public Policy, for being named to Moves Magazine annual Power Women list.

Honored at a year-end celebration gala held in Manhattan on November 10th, Melton is one of 25 women chosen this year who represent Moves Magazine mission of advocating for women’s rights, social fairness and equal opportunity.

The gala was hosted by acclaimed actors, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Isabelle Huppert, and the audience was treated to a live performance from international opera star James Valenti and Michelin star dining by chef Laurent Tourondel.

Melton was chosen for leading by example and being a role model for future generations. As EVP for TimeWarner she is responsible for overseeing the Company’s policy offices in Washington, D.C., London, Brussels, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires.

Melton serves on the Board of Trustees of JBG Smith Properties (NYSE: JBGS), the Board of Directors and First Vice President of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., as well as the Boards of start-up incubator Halcyon and the Phillips Collection. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

#movespowerwomen