CSI: American Carnage (Thursday, January 31, 2019)
Sarah walks to the podium. The assembled reporters sit before her. She turns toward them.
Sarah: I will take questions.
The Press: Would the president just take another shutdown off the table?
Sarah: Look, I’m not going to get into the hypotheticals of taking that off the table.
The Press: The president’s proposals for protecting the DREAMer children and some of the other concessions he made in his immigration speech — are those still on the table?
Sarah: Look, I’m not going to negotiate here.
The Press: Could you explain why the president hired and employed so many undocumented immigrants at his club for years?
Sarah: Look, I can’t get into specifics about the President’s organization outside of the White House.
The Press: Since I know so little about this, let me ask you a couple of questions and see if I can educate myself.
Sarah: Well, at least we’re in agreement on something.
The Press: What is the reason why the president doesn’t believe that DACA recipients shouldn’t have a path to status?
Sarah: I’m not going to negotiate up here.
The Press: I’m not asking you to. I’m asking why he doesn’t believe that they deserve or should have a path to status?
Sarah: Again, I’m not going to get into negotiating immigration reform up here.
The Press: Stephen Miller is quoted in Cliff Sims’s book as saying, “I would be happy if not a single refugee foot ever again touched American soil.” Is the policy of this administration to eventually get refugee resettlement down to zero?
Sarah: I’m not aware of any statement like that that Stephen Miller has ever made.
The Press: So there are several people that are now indicted that have some kind of connection to either the campaign or the president. Have these people tried to make contact with the president via their mutual friends?
Sarah: I’m not aware of any contact from those individuals.
The Press: Has the President ruled out a pardon for Roger Stone?
Sarah: I’m not aware of that. I haven’t had any conversations regarding that matter.
The Press: Will you discuss it with him and let us know?
Sarah: I’m not going to get into that at this point.
The Press: You said, “I’m not aware of that” when asked if the president has ruled out a pardon for Roger Stone. So does that mean he hasn’t ruled out a pardon?
Sarah: Again, I’m not aware of any conversation even regarding that or a need for it.
The Press: Can you — Sarah, just to follow up, can you guarantee that the president won’t pardon Roger Stone?
Sarah: Again, I’m not going to talk about hypotheticals that are just ridiculous and things I haven’t talked about.
The Press: If I can jump in: Roger Stone, last week; Paul Manafort; Michael Cohen; Michael Flynn — are you concerned, is the president concerned that that as more and more of his associates, former aides, are brought into this investigation — are indicted, plead guilty in this investigation — that this presidency is in danger?
Sarah: The further we get into the process, the more and more we see that this has nothing to do with President Trump.
The Press: All of this, when it comes to Roger Stone, is a complete surprise to the president. He didn’t know about any of this. Is that what you’re saying?
Sarah: What I can tell you is that the president did nothing wrong throughout this process. And the charges — of the indictment against Mr. Stone have absolutely nothing to do with the president.
Sarah: Thanks guys.
She leaves.