White House Correspondents Association Rips Voice Of America Management Over Reporter's Demotion

Widakuswara

The WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION is joining the chorus of criticism against the apparent punishment of VOICE OF AMERICA reporter PATSY WIDAKUSWARA by VOA Director ROBERT REILLY after she asked a question of Secretary of State MIKE POMPEO on MONDAY (1/11).

WIDAKUSWARA was ordered reassigned by REILLY, who was appointed to his post by U.S. AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA CEO and Pres. TRUMP appointee MICHAEL PACK, after she asked POMPEO, who was at the VOA for a talk that included comments perceived by many as political, "Mr. Secretary, what are you doing to repair the U.S. reputation around the world? Mr. Secretary, do you regret saying there will be a second TRUMP administration?" POMPEO did not answer the questions. WIDAKUSWARA was subsequently reassigned and removed from the press travel pool on AIR FORCE ONE.

The WHCA statement, attributed to President ZEKE MILLER, called REILLY's move "an assault on the First Amendment" and "an affront to the very ideals Secretary of State POMPEO discussed in his speech MONDAY." Reassigning WIDAKUSWARA, MILLER said, "harms the interests of all Americans who depend on the free press to learn about the actions of their government and gives comfort to efforts to restrict press freedom around the world."

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