May 12, 2022

Fox "News" has got to get off the crack pipe. Conspiracy theories, that is.

They cannot stop spreading lies about the Biden administration's Harm Reduction program to help people plagued by addiction. Here's Jacqui Heinrich acting like this matters more than Republicans stripping half the nation's population of their bodily autonomy.

"You said in February that no money from a $30 million harm reduction program would fund distribution of crack pipes in safe smoking kits. The Washington Free Beacon reported that they went to the harm reduction facilities in five cities," she began. "All of those facilities had crack pipes in their kits. HHS would not say which programs had applied for funding, and the recipient list is not out, yet, so I'm just wondering if the White House can say if any tax-payer dollars paid for these crack pipes."

"No federal funding has gone to it," Psaki told her plainly, giving Heinrich nine more syllables than she deserved.

The brilliant follow up?

"Is there any oversight to make sure that when the money goes out to the program that these organizations will not use federal dollars for crack pipes?"

Because again, with people able to give birth now facing no choice about it in half the states in the nation, THIS is what needs oversight. With police still murdering unarmed Black men, THIS is what needs oversight. With wildfires raging in the southwest, THIS is what needs oversight, Jacqui. But sure, go off. Psaki has your answer.

"This policy does not allow for crack pipes to be included," Psaki told her on her (tragically) penultimate day behind the lectern.

Then she said, "I would just note that this is a bit of a conspiracy theory that's been spread out there. It's not accurate. There's important drug treatment programs for people who've been suffering from what we've seen as an epidemic across the country, and money is not used for crack pipes."

Oh, Jen. We're going to miss you so much.

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