The Daily Beast reports:
The White House on Friday said that its chief of staff “absolutely” stands by his false comments about Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), despite video evidence proving him wrong. While railing against Wilson’s criticism of President Trump’s call with a Gold Star widow, Kelly told media on Thursday that he recalled Wilson grandstanding during a somber FBI event in 2015, touting herself as having secured funding for a new building. However, the Sun-Sentinel found the full speech video and it contained no such boasting.
“She also had quite a few comments that day that weren’t part of that speech and weren’t part of that video that were also witnessed by many people there,” Sanders replied, declining to name specific comments or evidence. Asked whether Kelly would come out to address his own false statements, Sanders invoked a curious defense: “If you want to get into a debate with a four-star marine general, I think that’s something highly inappropriate.”
Sanders shuts down Q on Kelly: “If you want to get into a debate with a 4-star marine general, I think that’s highly inappropriate” pic.twitter.com/jF5pyafI4B
— David Mack (@davidmackau) October 20, 2017
.@PressSec Sanders characterizing questions about Kelly’s description of Wilson 2015 speech as reporters “going after” a “4-star general”
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 20, 2017
Sarah Huckabee Sanders logic: it’s okay that John Kelly lied because he’s ex-military.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) October 20, 2017
Sanders seems to suggest it’s inappropriate to question Kelly’s story — even though we have a video that indicates his account was false.
— Matthew Nussbaum (@MatthewNussbaum) October 20, 2017