I feel like it's kind of counterproductive; it comes across as "what you are saying is true, but we are not happy about, and also how very dare you say it", in

I feel like it's kind of counterproductive; it comes across as "what you are saying is true, but we are not happy about, and also how very dare you say it", in a way that the more conventional "[blah] declined to comment", or a simple denial, does not. Like, it's hard to see how it's a _good_ media relations strategy.