Voice of America reporter reassigned after asking Pompeo about Capitol riot

A Voice of America reporter has been reassigned and taken off the White House beat after she tried to ask questions of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at an event at VOA headquarters, according to two fellow journalists at the organization.

Patsy Widakuswara, who has covered the White House for VOA since 2018, shouted questions at Pompeo after he gave a speech Monday and sat for a question and answer session carried out by VOA director Robert Reilly.

Reilly, a former VOA director and conservative commentator, was named last month to lead the broadcaster by Michael Pack, the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media that oversees VOA and other government-funded media outlets. Pack has presided over an upheaval at the agency, marked by firings of senior managers, court battles and bipartisan criticism from Congress and condemnation by press freedom groups.

Widakuswara could be heard trying to ask a question at the end of the live broadcast of Pompeo’s appearance, and she again tried to ask him questions as he left the VOA building in Washington.