In yet another report on CBS Evening News about seemingly nothing, the network tried to stoke fear of President-Elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration Thursday night. The cause of their concern? He did the unthinkable and asked for a list of federal programs he would be overseeing. “The Trump transition team has been sending questionnaires to cabinet departments, not at all unusual, but some of the questions sent to the State Department are raising concerns,” announced Anchor Scott Pelley.
“The memo shared with CBS News requested details on ‘existing programs and activities to promote gender equality, such as ending gender-based violence…’” reported CBS’ Margaret Brennan, “As well a list of jobs that handle those issues.”
According to Brennan, the memo did not include a reason as to why the transition team wanted the list of programs. But as the future president, does Trump need to note why he wants it? And why the fear, unless it quote, “raised concern that the Trump administration might want to cancel State Department initiatives championed by former Secretary Hillary Clinton.” Ah, of course!
“The memo did not ask for the names of officials who work on these programs, unlike a controversial questionnaire sent by the Trump team to the Energy Department earlier this month,” Brennan recalled. The request was controversial predominantly for leftists because Trump requested a list of programs and employees associated with President Obama’s climate change initiatives.
Brennan noted that House Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee were so alarmed that they sent a letter to Secretary John Kerry. “In our view, gathering names in this manner bears striking resemblance to dark chapters in our history marked by enemies lists and political witch hunts,” Brennan said, reading from their letter.
The CBS reporter waited until the very end of her report to admit that State Department Spokesperson John Kirby told the press, “The request for organizations and names and details were normal.” That is after she played a clip of him saying the Obama administration would be concerned if, “there were issue-specific lists of names that were being provided.”
The fear that CBS and liberals are trying to spread over the requested lists is absolutely absurd, as the president of the United States it’s his right to know what’s going on in the government. After Trump takes the oath of office on January 20 he will have all the information about federal programs and federal employees readily available to him. The federal government has the Office of Personnel Management, which literally lists every federal employee. If Trump wants a list of programs to find places to cut spending that’s his prerogative. That’s not a witch hunt, that’s looking out for tax payers.
Transcript below:
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CBS Evening News
December 22, 2016
6:34:03 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: The Trump transition team has been sending questionnaires to cabinet departments, not at all unusual, but some of the questions sent to the State Department are raising concerns. And Margret Brennan is following this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The memo shared with CBS News requested details on “existing programs and activities to promote gender equality, such as ending gender-based violence…” As well a list of jobs that handle those issues. It did not state why the information was needed, but raised concern that the Trump administration might want to cancel State Department initiatives championed by former Secretary Hillary Clinton. Spokesman John Kirby:
JOHN KIRBY: Look, I can't discount the notion that in all aspects of a change in leadership here that there's going to be anxiety.
BRENNAN: The memo did not ask for the names of officials who work on these programs, unlike a controversial questionnaire sent by the Trump team to the Energy Department earlier this month. It requested a list of programs and staffers "Essential to meeting the goals of President Obama's climate action plan." The questionnaire prompted House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats to urge Secretary Kerry, in a letter last week, not to single out his employees.
“In our view, gathering names in this manner bears striking resemblance to dark chapters in our history marked by enemies lists and political witch hunts.”
Today, Kirby said there is a limit to the help the State Department will provide.
KIRBY: Obviously, we would have concerns if-- if, for instance, the-- there were issue-specific lists of names that were being provided.
[Cuts back to live]
BRENNAN: And Kirby also said the request for organizations and names and details were normal. Scott.
PELLEY: Margaret Brennan at the state department, thank you, Margaret.
