More than three weeks after the White House learned of T.J. Ducklo’s Inauguration Day diatribe toward Politico reporter Tara Palmeri, the (now former) deputy White House press secretary resigned.
The loss of his job was the only proper recourse for a communications official who sexually harasses and threatens a journalist for doing her job — in this case, for investigating his relationship with an Axios political reporter. But it is already a cause of concern that Ducklo was allowed to save face with a “resignation” at all.
President Biden swore to his staff that he would fire any of them “on the spot” for talking “down to anyone,” yet, Ducklo faced zero punishment for his sexist tirade. Consequences only arose after Vanity Fair broke the story that his direct superior, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, had given him a one-week, unpaid suspension and barred him from any communications with Politico staffers — a slap on the wrist that was authorized by White House chief of staff Ron Klain.
Psaki justified this on the grounds that he had supposedly expressed “profound regret” in a heartfelt apology note to Palmeri. But, according to CNN’s Oliver Darcy, this is the entirety of what Ducklo sent:
Naturally, much of the press revolted, with female reporters noting that they wouldn’t be comfortable dealing with a communications official who had thus threatened one of their peers. And what’s the point of a press flak who can’t communicate with female reporters or with anyone from one of the most important newsrooms inside the Beltway? Only when left with no other options did some weekend negotiation finally culminate with Ducklo leaving the White House.
And still, Psaki insists there is no hypocrisy here. When pressed on why Ducklo wasn’t fired on the spot as Biden promised would be the White House standard, Psaki deflected, simply saying, “He’s no longer employed here, and I think that speaks for itself.”
Jen Psaki on TJ Ducko’s resignation over the weekend claims “the president leads by example” and that Ducklo quitting “was the right path forward.”
“He’s no longer employed here, and I think that speaks for itself.” pic.twitter.com/9ClUK67wpm
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 16, 2021
So what happened here? Did Biden really not know what Ducklo had done until the story went public? Was he still unaware when Ducklo was allowed to resign quietly over the weekend? If so, why didn’t Psaki also get the boot for failing to follow through on his pledge? Or is his promise simply moot?
In either case, Biden’s civility promise is already broken.
