On 12/13/2022, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn’t say whether President Biden would ask his aides to return 2020 campaign contributions from accused cryptocurrency con man Sam Bankman-Fried, whom the Justice Department has charged with swindling investors out of at least $1.8 billion. Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if Biden will return the millions he received from Sam Bankman-Fried, “The president received campaign donations [from Bankman-Fried]. Will the president return that donation? Does he call on all politicians who got campaign donations that may have come from customer money to return [them]?” asked Miller. Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment. “So look, I’m covered here by the Hatch Act — [I’m] limited on what I can say and anything that’s connected to political contributions from here, I would have to refer you to the DNC,” Jean-Pierre said, citing the federal law that prohibits certain officials from advocating for candidates.
