A lot of reporters who attend Sarah Sanders press briefings have long been frustrated by the way she dodges questions or delivers the same form answers time and again, but Thursday marked something different, more serious. Sanders herself admitted she was blindsided by Rudy Giuliani’s information that Donald Trump repaid Stormy Daniels hush money. From the podium in the White House briefing room, Sanders has long denied that Trump knew about the payments.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the first time she found out that her boss — President Trump — reimbursed Michael Cohen for the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels was when Rudy Giuliani said it on television last night.
— Matt Viser (@mviser) May 3, 2018
This raises the questions:
- Did Sanders truly NOT know Trump repaid the money?
- Did Sanders know about the repayment and knowingly lie to the public about it?
Either scenario doesn’t bode well for the Press Secretary.
Trump appears to have lied to his press secretary to mislead public. @acosta asks if Sanders lied in March or was in dark when she said she spoke to Trump who denied involvement in Stormy payments and denied all allegations. "I gave you the best information I had at the time"
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 3, 2018
.@jonkarl to @PressSec: "When the president and the White House show what appears to be a blatant disregard to the truth, how are the American people to trust or believe what is said here or what is said by the president?" pic.twitter.com/XLLfgjeFQh
— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) May 3, 2018
"Circle May 3 on your calendar," @DavidChalian says… pic.twitter.com/StKP20dZi9
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 3, 2018
This is even raising eyebrows with some Republican lawmakers.
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) said:
“I guess at some point you have to ask the question, how does Sarah Huckabee Sanders go to work every day if she was sent out there to mislead the American people?”
“Admitting that you misled the press because the President misled you is tantamount to taking your credibility, pouring gasoline on it and then setting it on fire.The Point: A boss who would not only mislead you but also do so knowing full well you would then put your credibility on the line publicly to defend that misinformation, is a boss no one should be willing to work for. That includes Sarah Sanders.”