It’s a good thing the White House holds those press briefings, because how else would the President of the United States and his staff learn what’s going on in the world? Obama doesn’t get to watch TV during the day, so he learns about breaking scandals the same time the rest of us do, and sometimes much later. It’s no surprise, then, that White House Press Secretary Jay Carney claims the White House didn’t know anything about Eric Holder and the Justice Department pulling the phone records of AP reporters.

The Department of Justice? That’s just another independent organization, like the IRS or the State Department or the Vice President or @barackobama.

Jay Carney says WH had no knowledge before today's press reports of Justice Dept attempt to obtain seek phone records of the AP reporters. — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 13, 2013

Carney further says WH "not involved in decisions" involving Justice Dept criminal investigations which "are handled independently" by DOJ. — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 13, 2013

President's spokesman Carney tonight: "other than press reports, we have no knowledge of any attempt by Justice Dept. to seek (AP records)" — West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) May 13, 2013

Carney: "Other than press reports, we have no knowledge of any attempt by the Justice Department to seek phone records of the AP." — Roger Simon (@politicoroger) May 13, 2013

Smart Power!™ MT .@jimacostacnn: Carney: we have no knowledge of any attempt by the DOJ to seek phone records of the AP — The Mind Plumber (@ChampionCapua) May 13, 2013

Can u ask Carney what decisions the WH is INVOLVED in? Sounds like NONE. EVER. @markknoller " WH not involved in decisions" involving DOJ" — DinahLord (@DinahLord) May 13, 2013

"The buck stops, uh, over there." MT @jimacostacnn: Carney: we have no knowledge of any attempt by the DOJ to seek phone records of the AP — Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 13, 2013

https://twitter.com/Petemoss51/status/334094092294307842

So is Jay Carney now distancing the WH from the DOJ? Doesn't matter, no one believes anything that liar says @PressSec — gary grams (A) (@garygramscom) May 13, 2013

Jay Carney knows nothing about anything…what an embarrassment — Conservative Cutie (@AgingRepublican) May 13, 2013

It seems the White House is involved in nothing. — Brendan Buck (@BrendanBuck) May 13, 2013

… and that’s the way they’d like to keep it, thanks.