Thread by @AndrewFeinberg

Here’s a story about this photo that other journalists may have heard, but y’all might not have.

This photo was taken by a photographer from @tassagency_en, one of Russia’s state media companies. The photographer was acting as the official photographer for Sergei Lavrov. 1/

At the time it was published, this photo caused quite a stir because neither the American “pool” photographers nor the White House photographer were allowed into the meeting. 2/

White House spokespeople claimed that they had no idea that the photographer worked for TASS.

They lied.

How do I know? Well, on the day of this meeting, I went through security at the White House’s northwest gate behind the TASS photographer.

Why does this matter? 3/

Well, the northwest gate of the White House is used by PRESS. And accompanying that TASS photographer, who was wearing a large blue TASS credential around his neck, was a staffer from the @StateDept. 4/

He’d accompanied the TASS photographer from Foggy Bottom because he exchanged his temporary State press pass for a temporary White House one. There’s zero chance he didn’t know the guy he was babysitting was from TASS, & there’s zero chance the White House didn’t know either. 5/5

ADDENDUM: Once I got through security after the TASS photographer and his @StateDept escort went through, I did what I do every day and walked down the driveway to the briefing room. I never saw either of them there, so I’m pretty sure they were taken directly into the West Wing.