Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton avoided all questions posed on the Obama-Biden Administration documents found at the Penn Biden Center and the President’s Delaware residences.

Following the steps of Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Dalton referred all the reporters who asked questions surrounding the topic to the DOJ and the White House Counsel’s Office.

Dalton was asked if the White House, President Biden, or his attorneys notified the intelligence community of these documents. “I think you may know the Justice Department has a seat on the National Security Council and this would be a question for them,” Dalton responded shallowly.

“Nothing to share with you on this,” has become a new normal at the press briefings as journalists are left in the dark with “ready-made” answers from the White House press shop.

Yesterday, the Chair of the GOP-led House Oversight and Accountability Committee sent a letter to the President of the University of Pennsylvania requesting information about the Penn Biden Center.

When a journalist asked if the White House had any problems with the think tank sharing information with the House Oversight Committee, Dalton responded that she appreciated the questions but believed that the White House Counsel’s Office most appropriately handles them. “So I would have to refer you to them on this,” stated Dalton.

One reporter expressed frustration when Dalton refused to say whether the White House would pledge to cooperate with the House Oversight Committee with any requests they may make.

“Again, I am going to have to refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office on this,” she said. “You can’t even give the simple pledge that ‘Of course we are going to cooperate with an oversight committee in Congress’?”

Information blackout

During the Monica Lewinsky scandal in 1998, the White House assigned an official to handle questions related to that matter, while press secretaries were free to answer inquiries surrounding other topics. “Is that a consideration of this White House, having someone come in, answer our questions, to let you and Karine handle other businesses of the day?” asked the reporter.

However, the suggestion was rejected. “We’ve been exhausted, transparent, attempted to answer all your questions. From here, I will advise you to the White House Counsel’s Office,” replied Dalton.

The information blackout on Biden’s classified documents remains, and with no end in sight. Will the White House break under pressure from journalists and the general public, or will it continue to provide as little information as possible?

Regardless, the Pavlovic Today will continue to report on the issue.

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