Washington, D.C. — White House Deputy Press Secretary T.J. Ducklo has been placed on short-term administrative leave after it was revealed that he threatened a female reporter last month.
Ducklo allegedly told Politico reporter Tara Palmeri, “I will destroy you.”
The tension began when Palmeri was pursuing a story on a scandal involving Ducklo’s personal life. Palmeri was investigating Ducklo’s personal relationship with Alexi McCammond, a White House journalist for Axios.
Ducklo’s dating relationship with McCammond set off multiple big red flags of journalistic integrity and conflict of interest. The relationship was not even made public until this week, and only because of some investigative reporting by Vanity Fair and People Magazine, of all publications.
The Deputy Press Secretary apparently did not take kindly to the line of questioning and responded by openly threatening Palmeri. Ducklo apparently went on a string of threats and vile comments, including misogynistic attacks on Palmeri’s personal life.
So now that all this has surfaced, how does Joe Biden’s White House respond?
A slap on the wrist.
It was announced today, more than three weeks after the initial incident, that Ducklo was placed on a one-week leave without pay. Whoa there – big punishment.
According to People magazine, Biden told his staff on Inauguration day, “If you’re 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.”
Well, so much for that promise.
What’s more, Ducklo is still continuing his relationship with his White House reporter girlfriend, McCammond.
Now, Ducklo did apparently send an email apology to Politico’s Palmeri, but is that really enough to placate his responsibility? Would the media respond as nonchalant if this was Trump’s press corps?
Not likely.
Trump was made out to be an enemy of the press, and his press department was constantly demonized by the media.
So will we see more “Democracy Dies in Darkness” messages in response to Ducklo’s threats a la Washington Post?
Even less likely.
No, the media will move on – likely immediately – and they will be satisfied with Ducklo’s soft punishment. Ducklo will be back on camera answering questions from the press, including his girlfriend, next week at the latest.
To no one’s surprise, many media outlets have not even reported the scandal and never will.
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