The White House on Monday refused to comment on the FBI’s decision to delete references to the Islamic State from transcripts of the emergency calls Omar Mateen made to 911 operators during his assault on gay nightclub where he shot 102 people and killed 49, on Orlando, Fla., last week.
The “decision was made solely by Department of Justice and FBI officials,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday. “Talk to them. … I’ll let them explain their positions.”
When pressed further on the White House’s position, Earnest said its position is “we should not interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation … which should be carried out” how investigators see fit.
In response to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s comment that the redactions are “preposterous,” Earnest said politics is not the White House’s concern with the investigation.
“It’s up to our law enforcement professionals to focus on the task at hand and not be distracted by politics,” he said.
