In a revelation worth face-palming over, First Daughter Ivanka Trump was discovered to have used a private e-mail account for official business while transitioning into her governmental role. In an instance of actual honesty for what they were doing Tuesday, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt reported that the news had “critics pouncing” and “alleging hypocrisy after her father's relentless criticism of Clinton's e-mails.” Of course, this came after the liberal media downplayed Clinton’s E-Mail scandal.
For their Tuesday evening broadcasts, both ABC and NBC pounced on the New York Times’ report while the CBS Evening News didn’t mention it at all.
Following Holt’s admission of what the game was about, White House correspondent Peter Alexander began his report by enthusiastically announcing that Ivanka was “now under investigation for violating federal records rules by using her personal e-mail account to conduct government business last year.”
Despite a statement from her spokesperson explaining that the account was “almost always for logistics and scheduling”, Alexander touted the coming Democratic Party feeding frenzy. “Still, House Democrats are demanding answers, vowing they'll investigate those e-mails, reportedly hundreds of them, that Ms. Trump sent to White House aides, cabinet officials, and her assistants,” he said.
Alexander boasted about how the revelation gave “critics new ammunition” and flaunted criticism from former administration officials:
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Certainly I think it's hypocritical. Even if Ivanka if she was interviewed about it, she would have to say it was a mistake.
MARC SHORT: It appears hypocritical and looks bad, for sure.
Meanwhile on ABC’s World News Tonight, chief White House correspondent Jon Karl seemed aghast that not only had she used a private e-mail account, but she also signed one as “Ivanka Kushner,” her married name.
Karl also praised the work of a liberal group, that he did not name, for obtaining some of the e-mails: “In one e-mail, obtained by a liberal group through the Freedom of Information Act, she writes, ‘For future reference’ and gives her government e-mail address.”
This faux outrage came after both networks spent the 2016 election downplaying the seriousness of the Clinton e-mail scandal. With this new revelation, it is so far unclear if Ivanka had sent classified information, but we do know that she didn’t store the account on a private server stored in a bathroom, serviced by a private tech firm, and had numerous hacking attempts made against it. That’s the false equivalency the liberal media was trying desperately to draw.
Back on March 5, 2015, Karl told ABC colleague and Clinton lackey George Stephanopoulos that when it came to the American people trusting Clinton on the e-mail issue, “this is basically going to be the honor system”. And a few days later, Stephanopoulos was wondering if Clinton’s "critics overreacted."
For NBC, correspondent Kristen Welker tried to diminish Clinton’s controversy by invoking Jeb Bush’s e-mails. And a few days later, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd wondered if the Congressional Republicans would overreact and make people “sympathize” with Clinton.
While calling out a member of the Trump administration for using a private e-mail account, they exposed their own hypocrisy.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
November 20, 2018
6:38:10 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: The other headline out of the White House tonight involves the President's daughter, Ivanka, who, it turns out, but using private e-mail for her work in her father's administration. Here's ABC's chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl.
[Cuts to video]
JON KARL: Tonight, President Trump is defending his daughter, under fire for using her personal e-mail to conduct government business. During the campaign, the President made Hillary Clinton's use of private e-mail a central issue.
DONALD TRUMP: I think she's pathetic. I think she should be a jail for what she did with her e-mails. Okay?
KARL: Now we are seeing e-mails Ivanka Trump sent White House aides and government officials, including cabinet secretaries from her personal account, using her married name, Ivanka Kushner. In one e-mail, obtained by a liberal group through the Freedom of Information Act, she writes, "For future reference" and gives her government E-Mail address. Her lawyer issued a statement saying, "While transitioning into government, Ms. Trump sometimes used her private account, almost always for logistics and scheduling concerning her family." The President today says there's no comparison between Hillary Clinton's actions and his daughter's.
TRUMP: Early on and for a little period of time, Ivanka did some e-mails. They weren't classified like Hillary Clinton. They weren't deleted. It's all in the presidential records. Everything is there.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
November 20, 2018
7:03:47 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: With all that news breaking, word there’s fallout tonight after the revelation that Ivanka Trump used private e-mail to conduct government business while working in the White House. Critics pouncing, alleging hypocrisy after her father's relentless criticism of Clinton's e-mails. Peter Alexander has late details.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, the first dad defending his daughter, now under investigation for violating federal records rules by using her personal e-mail account to conduct government business last year.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Ivanka did some e-mails. They weren't classified like Hillary Clinton. They weren't deleted like Hillary Clinton. They're all in presidential records. There was no hiding.
ALEXANDER: Ivanka Trump, today, also not hiding, front and center in the rose garden, but publically silent. A spokesperson for Mrs. Trump telling NBC News, she “sometimes used her private account, almost always for logistics and scheduling concerning her family.” Still, House Democrats are demanding answers, vowing they'll investigate those e-mails, reportedly hundreds of them, that Ms. Trump sent to White House aides, cabinet officials, and her assistants.
(…)
ALEXANDER: But even a pair of the President’s former aides, concede it's problematic.
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Certainly I think it's hypocritical. Even if Ivanka if she was interviewed about it, she would have to say it was a mistake.
MARC SHORT: It appears hypocritical and looks bad, for sure.
ALEXANDER: Especially given candidate Trump's relentless assault on his former opponent.
TRUMP: How can Hillary manage this country when she can't even manage her E-Mails?
ALEXANDER: The argument that launched that famous rallying cry --
CROWD: Lock her up! Lock her up!
ALEXANDER: Tonight, giving critics new ammunition. Peter Alexander, NBC News, the White House.
