MJ Lee

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @JohnBerman: JUST NOW: "Look, that's not the approach I would use." --@SenWarren on the WH proposal for a gas tax holiday. https://t.… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @harrispolitico: The most interesting tension among Democrats isn’t between moderates and the left. Increasingly it is *within* the left… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

@priscialva An important piece of the story here is what the FDA is and is not well-equipped to handle -- former officials say the agency's arm that tracks food (distinct from drugs) is lacking resources and data. (FDA Commissioner Robert Califf has publicly discussed some of these issues) — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

@priscialva "In early May is when we start really trying to roll up our sleeves and figure out what's going on here," recalled one senior administration official. Details here of the baby formula data that WH found particularly concerning: https://t.co/OJ5Oo2GPi6 — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

New: Inside the White House's spring scramble to contain the baby formula crisis, including details of a telling meeting between WH and FDA officials around early May. Story w/ @priscialva https://t.co/OJ5Oo2GPi6 — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @mkraju: Joe Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told me this evening he’s “a little skeptical” of th… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Brittney Griner, who is detained in Russia, trying to call her wife 11 times on their anniversary but nobody was at the US Embassy in Moscow to connect the call was an "unfortunate mistake," Karine Jean-Pierre tells @Phil_Mattingly. State Department is working to "rectify" this. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @ArletteSaenz: NEW: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit a vaccination clinic in Washington, DC Tuesday as the White Hou… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @Kevinliptakcnn: A few seaside updates from Biden: -Isn't planning to visit Ukraine when he's in Europe. -Wants to decide on gas tax hol… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

(Correction that he repeated this warning *three* times before walking away) — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

"I'm not going to meet with MBS," Biden told @kellyo when asked about his upcoming Saudi trip. "I’m going to an international meeting." — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

New: President Biden tells me he has been briefed on the Americans missing in Ukraine. “We don’t know where they are,” he says. He also warns twice: “Americans should not be going to Ukraine.” https://t.co/sbWEp8kqPw — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

White House has previously said that children under five could start getting Covid vaccines the week of June 20th (next week). — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

FDA has expanded emergency use authorizations for Covid vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech for children as young as 6 months. CDC vaccine advisers now need to vote on whether to recommend them (scheduled to happen Saturday) and the CDC director also needs to sign off. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

RT @Phil_Mattingly: Pres. Biden, in Oval Office interview with @joshboak, on warnings about a possible recession: “First of all, it’s not i… — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

@DaniellaMicaela Biden wrote a letter to major oil refinery companies this week saying it's unacceptable that they're seeing such high profits at a time when Americans are struggling with high gas prices. (WH has also said they want to engage oil companies in ongoing dialogue on this issue) — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

@DaniellaMicaela I'm told by a person present that the WH officials urged Dems to focus on painting Republicans as obstructionists on economic relief efforts and blame large corporations like oil companies for prioritizing profits -- that they believe this to be effective political messaging. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Top White House officials -- Kate Bedingfield, Mike Donilon and Jen O'Malley Dillon -- met with the House Democratic caucus this morning to discuss strategy on inflation and the economy, per @DaniellaMicaela. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

So yes? Jean-Pierre: “I mean, I’m trying to answer the question.” — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

.@mviser noted the intelligence report that Biden released concluded that MBS approved the operation to kill Khashoggi. So does Biden agree with that assessment? Jean-Pierre finally said: “Clearly he would not release that report if it was not something he believed in, right?” — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

.@mviser tried a second time: “But I’m still not hearing you say yes, he agrees with that assessment that MBS authorized the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.” Jean-Pierre again repeated much of her previous answer and said Biden won’t “shy away” from having human rights conversations. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Jean-Pierre again laid out some of the things she said Tuesday -- that Biden released that US intelligence report on Khashoggi's murder, took certain actions against the Saudis and takes the murder very seriously. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

A notable exchange just now between @mviser and Karine Jean-Pierre, following up on this Q that was asked multiple times at Tuesday's briefing: Does Biden believe that the Saudi Crown Prince was responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's death (which is what US intelligence determined)? — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Also asked if WH is monitoring the tampon shortage and if there are other essential products that it's monitoring/concerned about facing potential shortages. Jean-Pierre: "I would have to check in with the team on what they're tracking. I don't have a list for you right now." — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

“What we can do is continue to focus on what we're going to do which is ramping up production, increasing supply and making sure that American families only have access to safe formula. That is the focus for us. That is what we control," Jean-Pierre said. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Asked about Abbott baby formula plant in Michigan stopping production again because of flooding and if the admin has an assessment of what this will mean, Karine Jean-Pierre says the news is "disappointing." But the admin "can't control their timeline" for reopening, she says. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Some of Coons' Democratic colleagues have been critical of Biden's decision to go to Saudi Arabia, and particularly the upcoming meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince. “I’m glad he’s going to a regional meeting with nine heads of state," Coons said. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

“We spoke about it,” Coons said (he’s attending the WH pride event). “Human rights and the human rights of the Saudi kingdom and their role in the Yemen war is on the agenda and I’m confident that President Biden will raise concerns.” — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

Sen. Chris Coons tells me he spoke with President Biden about his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia and that the senator feels “confident” Biden will raise human rights concerns while he’s there. — PolitiTweet.org

MJ Lee @mj_lee

President Biden hosts a pride event at the White House and says his administration’s message is: “Pride is back at the White House.” https://t.co/i2zuyGASjI — PolitiTweet.org