White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was put on the spot Tuesday about her old tweets claiming that Republicans stole elections in 2016 and 2018.
Before joining the Biden White House, Ms. Jean-Pierre tweeted in 2016 that former President Donald Trump stole that year’s election. Two years later, she claimed that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, stole the gubernatorial election.
Those tweets have received new scrutiny amid President Biden’s slew of speeches condemning Trump loyalists for refusing to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.
When reporters asked about her tweets at the daily White House press briefing, Ms. Jean-Pierre dismissed the comparison as “ridiculous.”
“I was talking specifically at that time about what was happening with voting rights and what was endangering voting rights,” she said. “I have said Gov. Kemp won the election in Georgia, I have been clear about that. I have said President Trump won the election in 2016 and I’ve been clear about that.”
Ms. Jean-Pierre said the president’s message was directed toward those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop Congress from certifying the election win for Mr. Biden.
SEE ALSO: Biden mocked for sparse crowd at Pennsylvania union hall rally
“We saw an insurrection, a mob, that was incited by the person who occupied this campus, this facility at that time,” she said. “And it was an attack on our democracy. Let’s not forget people died on that day. That is the danger we saw that day and that is what we are going to call out.”
In 2018, Ms. Jean-Pierre sided with Democrat Stacey Abrams, who refused to concede the Georgia gubernatorial election amid claims of voter suppression.
“Reminder: Brian Kemp stole the gubernatorial election from Georgians and Stacey Abrams,” she wrote.
Ms. Abrams is running against Mr. Kemp again in this year’s gubernatorial race in Georgia.
Ms. Jean-Pierre wasn’t the only Democrat who disputed Mr. Trump’s 2016 election win. Nearly 60 Democratic lawmakers boycotted Mr. Trump’s inauguration in 2017, saying his election was illegitimate.
In a series of recent speeches, Mr. Biden has condemned Trump supporters for refusing to concede the 2020 election and raising false accusations of widespread voter fraud.
“MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people. They refuse to accept the results of a free election,” he said last week in Philadelphia.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.