Reporters Furious that White House Moved Chairs During Time of Social Distancing
by Charlie Spiering
White House reporters expressed outrage after White House staff moved their seats closer together on Friday, effectively ending social distancing for the coronavirus pandemic.
White House correspondent Jim Acosta shared photos of the chairs being spread apart during the media preset period for cameras at the press conference.
When reporters came out to the Rose Garden, it was obvious that the chairs had been moved.
The news conference was initially set up for social distancing. Then the WH rearranged the chairs. Before and after pics from our @abdallahcnn pic.twitter.com/jxKAneAZsy
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 5, 2020
“This is a flagrant violation of CDC guidelines on social distancing and a move that puts reporters at risk for the purpose of turning the press corps into a prop for a so-called ‘press conference’ where the president refuses to answer a single question,” ABC’s White House correspondent Jon Karl wrote on Twitter after the president’s press conference.
This is a flagrant violation of CDC guidelines on social distancing and a move that puts reporters at risk for the purpose of turning the press corps into a prop for a so-called “press conference” where the president refuses to answer a single question. https://t.co/dgImSBblaO
— jonkarl (@jonkarl) June 5, 2020