Brian Karem

Brian James Karem (born March 10, 1961) is an American journalist and author working as the White House correspondent for Playboy[1] and political analyst for CNN.[2] He also hosts the "Just Ask The Question" podcast.[3]

Brian Karem
Born
Brian James Karem

(1961-03-10) March 10, 1961
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Missouri
OccupationJournalist, writer
Years active1983-present
EmployerPlayboy, CNN
Known forJailed for not revealing sources
Notable work
Marked for Death, Shield the Source, Innocent Victims, Above the Law
Spouse(s)
Pamela J. Russell
(
m. 1983)
Children3
Websitejustaskthequestion.com

In 1991, Karem received the National Press Club Freedom of the Press award for refusing to reveal his sources in a story related to the killing of a police officer in Texas.[4][5]

Early life and education

Karem was born in 1961 in Louisville, Kentucky. His great grandfather emigrated to the United States from Lebanon.[6][7] After finishing Seneca High School in 1979, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, playing football and graduating with a degree in journalism in 1983.[8][9] The same year, he married his wife, Pamela J. Russell.[10]

Career

In 1983, Karem joined The Montgomery County Courier in Conroe, Texas as sports editor.[11] After leaving the Courier in 1984, Karem switched to television joining WKYT-TV in Lexington, Kentucky as a political reporter.[12]

He returned to Texas in 1986 to work at KMOL-TV in San Antonio. In 1990, Karem was jailed in contempt of court for refusing to reveal the name of a source who arranged an interview with a suspect involved in killing a police officer.[13][14][15][16] During the Gulf War, he was one of the first reporters to enter Kuwait City after its liberation.[17] During the National Drug Summit in San Antonio, Texas in 1992, Karem asked then President George H. W. Bush to comment on claims referring to the event as a "joke".[18] Karem lost his job after the incident but later gained an interview with Sam Donaldson on ABC and a mention from The Tonight Show host Jay Leno.[19]

Following his termination from KMOL, Karem joined the television program, America's Most Wanted as a producer and correspondent.[20] While covering the War on drugs, he became the first American journalist allowed inside Pablo Escobar's palatial prison after Escobar's escape from Colombian authorities.[21] In 1997, Karem joined WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri as an investigative reporter.[22][23] While at WDAF-TV, Karem alleges that his superiors suppressed a story on the pesticide chemical, Dursban, prompting him to leave the station.[24]

Between 2004 and 2018, Karem served as the executive editor of the Montgomery County Sentinel in Rockville, Maryland and authored the Editor's Notebook, a column covering Montgomery County, Maryland.[25][26] Between 2012 and 2015, he was also the publisher for MoCoVox.Com, an online content provider.[20]

While covering the Trump presidency, Karem gained attention for his interactions with administration officials. On June 27, 2017, Karem confronted then deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on "inflammatory" comments about the performance of the press while covering President Donald Trump.[27] One year later, Karem confronted Sanders again on the Administration's policy of seizing children from their parents at United States border crossings, saying "Come on, Sarah, you're a parent! Don't you have any empathy for what these people are going through? They have less than you do. Sarah, come on, seriously."[28]

On July 11, 2019, following an event at the White House Rose Garden, Karem called conservative social media representatives in attendance "a group of people eager for demonic possession." The remark prompted Sebastian Gorka, a former deputy assistant to President Trump and now a radio talk-show host, to confront Karem, yelling across the lawn: "And you're a journalist, right?" Karem replied with what some consider a taunt saying, "Come on over here and talk to me, brother. We can go outside and have a long conversation."[29] Accusing Karem of issuing a threat, Gorka walked across the lawn yelling, "You're not a journalist! You're a punk!" in front of a row of White House media and cameras.[30][31][32][33][34]

Following the July 11 incident, the White House Press Office suspended Karem's press pass on August 2, 2019.[35] Karem filed a lawsuit in response before U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Rudolph Contreras blocked the suspension.[36][37]

Music

Karem is the lead singer of the Rhythm Bandits Band, playing shows in Montgomery County, Maryland.[38]

Awards

  • National Press Club Freedom of the Press Award[39]
  • Pieringer Award for Valor and Journalist Excellence[40]

Books

  • Shield the Source, (New Horizon Press; 1992) ISBN 0882821040.
  • Above the Law, (Pinnacle; 1998) ISBN 0786010312.
  • Warning Signs: A Guidebook for Parents: How to Read the Early Signals of Low Self-Esteem, Addiction, and Hidden Violence in Your Kids, co-author with John Kelly. (LifeLine Press; 1998) ISBN 0786010312.
  • Spin Control: Essays and Short Stories, (Brookeville Press; 2000) ISBN 0967651611.
  • Innocent Victims, (Pinnacle; 2001) ISBN 0786010312.
  • Marked for Death, (Avon; 2005) ISBN 0060524715.

See also

References

  1. Phillips, Kristine (June 28, 2017). "'I don't like bullies': Reporter explains why he confronted Sarah Huckabee Sanders". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  2. Wulfsohn, Joseph (June 11, 2019). "CNN political analyst 'updates' tweet after being accused of spreading 'fake news' about Trump". Fox News Channel. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  3. "Just Ask the Question with Brian Karem".
  4. Molloy, Tim (June 27, 2017). "Brian J. Karem, Reporter Who Defied Team Trump, Went to Jail to Protect Sources". The Wrap. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  5. "U.S. journalists jailed for reporting to gather at National Press Club, 6 pm June 1". National Press Club. May 14, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  6. Karem v. Trump (US District Court for the District of Columbia August 20, 2019) ("The first person I met was renowned reporter Helen Thomas, who covered the White House under ten Presidents, and who, as it turns out, knew my great grandfather from Lebanon. She offered to take me to her house and make me an authentic Lebanese dinner."). Text
  7. @BrianKarem (January 12, 2018). "I'm the grandson of a man who immigrated from Syria (now Lebanon). My grandfather became a circuit court judge. My father a volunteer coach and mentor to hundreds. My uncles - lawyers. We came with nothing. From a s***hole we rose. That's how you make America Great" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. Winer, Madeleine (June 28, 2017). "White House reporter from Louisville scolds Trump press secretary about 'fake news'". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  9. Hooke, Matt (April 26, 2019). "Editor's Note: Writing with passion about our community". the Observer. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  10. "Celebrate 35 years with us!". Facebook. Rhythm Bandits. December 1, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  11. "Brian Karem". Linkedin. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  12. Karem, Brian (June 6, 2015). "The Demise of a Community Newspaper Affects Us All". Montgomery County Sentinel. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  13. Karem v. Priest, 744 F.Supp. 136 (W.D. Tex. 1990) ("Karem, a reporter for local television station KMOL, was subpoenaed to produce audio and video recordings as well as all written materials which concerned the shooting death of San Antonio Police Officer Gary Williams. Specifically, Karem was ordered to produce "[a]ny written, typed or tape recorded notes ... relating to any conversations allegedly with Henry David Hernandez," one of two brothers charged with capital murder in Officer Williams' death. Karem refused and was found to be in contempt. After exhausting available state court remedies, the instant federal habeas application was filed.").
  14. Asner, Marcus (1993). "Starting from Scratch: The First Amendment Reporter-Source Privilege and the Doctrine of Incidental Restrictions". University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform. 26 (3): 601. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  15. Suro, Roberto (June 30, 1990). "Texas Reporter Is Jailed For Withholding Names". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  16. "Jailed Reporter Is Freed After Source Allows Name to Be Used". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. July 11, 1990. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  17. "Brian Karem". René Moawad Foundation. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  18. George H. W. Bush and Brian Karem (February 28, 1992). San Antonio Drug Summit (in English and Spanish). San Antonio, Texas: C-SPAN. Event occurs at 34:25. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  19. Jackle, Jeanne (June 28, 2017). "Reporter who confronted White House once made waves in San Antonio". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  20. "Brian Karem Author page". Facebook. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  21. "Brian Karem, author". Harper Collins. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  22. "Brian Karem". Linkedin. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  23. Karem v. Trump (US District Court for the District of Columbia August 20, 2019) ("I went on to work as the executive editor of The Sentinel Newspapers in Maryland, as a producer and television correspondent for America’s Most Wanted, and as an investigative reporter for Fox affiliate WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri."). Text
  24. Cotts, Cynthia (November 28, 2000). "Does Fox Slant the News?". The Village Voice. Retrieved April 23, 2020. But the next year, when Karem completed a report on the potential dangers of the pesticide Dursban, he met with resistance. Karem says, “I was told, ‘You don’t want to do this type of story. It’s too difficult to do. Don’t you want to be a team player?’” When Dow Chemical Company, which makes Dursban, turned down Karem’s requests for an interview, WDAF sent a copy of Karem’s tape to Dow, inviting the company to produce a rebuttal. When WDAF received the Dow tape, they cut out a personal attack on Karem and added the rebuttal at the end of Karem’s Dursban report, which ran in February 1998. Karem calls this tantamount to suppressing the truth...But he was so traumatized by the experience that he asked Fox to buy out his contract, and he left WDAF in late 1998.
  25. "Brian Karem". Linkedin. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  26. "Editor's Notebook Archives".
  27. Garrett, Major (June 27, 2017). "Tension continues to flare between White House and media". CBS News. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  28. Wemple, Eric (June 14, 2018). "'You're a parent': Reporter presses Sarah Huckabee Sanders on immigration". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  29. Howe, Caleb (July 11, 2019). "New Video Shows CNN's Karem Taunting Summit Guests With 'Demonic Possession' Jab, Daring Gorka to Take Dispute 'Outside'". Mediaite. Retrieved July 12, 2019. come on over here and talk to me, brother. We can go outside and have a long conversation.
  30. Saavedra, Ryan (July 11, 2019). "WATCH: CNN Contributor Threatens Gorka. Gorka Doesn't Take It Lying Down". The Daily Wire. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  31. Samuels, Brett (July 11, 2019). "Trump social media summit attendees clash with reporters in Rose Garden". The Hill. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  32. Rosas, Julio (July 11, 2019). "'You're a punk!': Sebastian Gorka confronts White House journalists in Rose Garden (VIDEO)". Washington Examiner. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  33. Boyer, Dave (July 11, 2019). "Sebastian Gorka, CNN pundit get into heated altercation in Rose Garden". The Washington Times. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  34. Haltiwanger, John (July 11, 2019). "Former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka screamed in a journalist's face in the Rose Garden as supporters cheered". Business Insider. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  35. Brest, Mike; Bufkin, Ellie (August 2, 2019). ""White House suspends Playboy reporter Brian Karem's press pass after fight with Sebastian Gorka"". Washington Examiner. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  36. Karem v. Trump (US District Court for the District of Columbia August 20, 2019). Text
  37. Jeanine, Santucci (September 4, 2019). "Judge rules in favor of Playboy reporter Brian Karem after White House suspended press credentials". USA Today. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  38. "About the Rhythm Bandits". Rhythm Bandits official website.
  39. Schwab, Nikki (September 10, 2018). "Young Members' "Piano Talk" features Brian Karem, Tuesday". National Press Club. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  40. Schwab, Nikki (September 10, 2018). "Young Members' "Piano Talk" features Brian Karem, Tuesday". National Press Club. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
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