Ian Sams on COVID-19 Origins and White House Counsel Role

COVID-19 Origins Discussion

• ❓ Ian Sams was asked directly if COVID-19 came from a lab.
• 🤷 Sams stated, "I have no idea," and that it's "entirely possible" but that "we may never know."

Transition to White House Counsel's Office

• 🏛️ Sams transitioned to the White House Counsel's office around May 2022.
• 🤝 He was approached for the role by then-White House Counsel Dana Remis.
• 🎯 The office was looking to add support and capacity to the oversight team, specifically seeking a communications and press person.

Anticipating Republican Oversight

• 📈 Sams acknowledged that the move was partly in anticipation of potential Republican control of the House and Senate.
• 🗣️ There was a sense that increased oversight activity would occur, necessitating a more public-facing role to combat it.

Reporting Structure and Decision-Making

• 🧑‍💼 Sams reported directly to the White House Counsel, a structure that remained unchanged even after Mr. Cisco joined.
• 📝 Regarding decisions made in the President's name, such as statements on the special counsel investigation, drafts were typically reviewed by the legal comms team.
• ✍️ If a statement was in the President's name, it would generally go to President Biden for review, edits, or sign-off.
• 🚫 Sams stated he does not recall ever writing a decision memo, observing the President reviewing the decision book, or seeing him review a decision card, nor did he ever hand a memo or the book directly to the President.