WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined Thursday to say whether First Lady Jill Biden was protecting her “work husband” Anthony Bernal Since allegations of verbal sexual harassment – while saying that she respects Bernal and considers him a “friend”.
Jean-Pierre defended Bernal — widely considered one of the most powerful White House officials — when a Post reporter pressed her about three sources claiming Bernal repeatedly speculated about penis size of his colleagues in a #MeToo power play.
“I don’t know who your sources are, so I can’t – with all due respect – I can’t talk about it… I mean, they’re blind sources,” Jean-Pierre said during his regular briefing, before vouching for his colleague.
“What I can speak to is that you saw a statement from our chief of staff Jeff Zients saying they are ‘baseless.’ You saw a very strong statement from Anthony himself…and he said the same thing.
Visits a dismissed the allegations as “baseless” – without investigating them.
Sources said Bernal’s vague title as Jill’s senior adviser belies his internal influence, which could exceed that of Zients.
“I can’t talk here about personnel investigations or anything like that,” Jean-Pierre said.
“It’s not something I’ll ever talk about. And I’m not saying there is one – I’m just saying I never will, I can’t talk about it and it’s not something I can do.
Jean-Pierre added: “I have known Anthony for some time now. I’ve known him for over a decade. I worked closely with him. And I consider him a friend, but also a colleague whom I respect. And that’s essentially what Jeffrey Zients told you as well. I simply have nothing else to share beyond your reporting.
The Post reporter continued: “I have to stress this to you, though, because the president has said he will fire people for disrespecting their colleagues and there is no investigation.”
“I just told you that they themselves, Jeffrey Zients and also Anthony Bernal, said that they were unfounded. I can’t talk to your sources, these are your sources to talk to,” she replied.
“Does Bernal’s special status come from the fact that the First Lady protects him, as some sources believe?” » asked the Post directly.
“I answered the question. I answered the question,” Jean-Pierre replied, even though she had not answered the question.
“Anthony Bernal spoke for himself. You’ve heard from our chief of staff – our chief of staff, and (he) obviously made a statement to your publication – and you’ve heard from me. I have nothing else to share.
The Post pressed again: “Will this have a deterrent effect on people who suffer from sexual harassment or bullying?
“I have nothing else to share on that,” Jean-Pierre replied.
ACCUSATORS: WH STAFF FEAR FIRST LADY’S WRATH
Sources who made allegations against Bernal told the Post they were rebuffed by his defense.
One of Bernal’s accusers called Jean-Pierre’s statements “disgusting” and noted that “Karine Jean-Pierre and the White House officially condone sexual harassment and abusive behavior.”
“Sexual harassment is OK in the Biden White House if you’re Jill Biden’s husband at work. (It’s) scary for other victims of sexual harassment,” Bernal’s former colleague said.
“There’s also a strange gender dynamic. If Anthony targeted women, he would disappear.
“Karine is in a difficult position, as is Jeff, but it’s a position the first lady put them in,” said another source who worked with Bernal.
“They’re doing it at gunpoint for the same reason dozens of these current and former colleagues speak to the press rather than to an actual supervisor: They want to keep their jobs. Everyone lives in fear, including Zients and KJP, because Bernal is protected by Jill. »
The source added that “everyone who works there sympathizes with (Jean-Pierre and Zients) for the position they are placed in. No one really wants to publicly defend Anthony Bernal because his reputation and behavior are so widely accepted that the Public statements defending him are never considered credible.
This source added: “I hope Joe Biden gets four more years just so Jill can redo her role as first lady and hopefully hire professionals with experience in running an agenda, which that most previous first ladies had… She protects and enables the most serial stalker and abuser, Anthony Bernal, simply because he is indispensable as a personal assistant. Nobody understands it. “
A third source said: “This is not the kind of White House Joe Biden claims to run. »
“Complaints made by multiple people should be taken seriously and investigated, not glossed over and swept under the rug just because the abusive person is close to the first lady. This reaction says to every person in the building: accept the abusive behavior and stay silent,” the source said.
The Post exclusively reported on growing tensions over Bernal’s conduct last month.
Four sources alleged that Bernal inappropriately speculated in the workplace about the sexuality of colleagues, three described instances where he spoke in the workplace about the alleged penis size of colleagues, and two said that he shared a theory that the size of a person’s thumb correlates with length. of their penis.
Louise Fitzgerald, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who has been an expert in high-profile federal court cases on sexual harassment, told the Post last month that Zients’ rejection was a signal alarm and that the allegations do indeed describe workplace misconduct.
“Harassment most often occurs in workplaces where, regardless of policy, employees feel that sexual harassment is not taken seriously, that it is risky to file a complaint and that there are no significant consequences for the perpetrator,” Fitzgerald said.
