Category: Media

Media, Politics

Washington Post Columnist Calls for the End of Impartiality and Balance in Journalism

In an age of rage, Washington Post columnist and MSNBC contributor Jennifer Rubin has long been a standout in her attacks on Republicans and conservatives: “We have to collectively, in essence, burn down the Republican Party. We have to level them because if there are survivors, if there are people who weather this storm, they will do it again.” However, her recent column shows that she has made a clean break not only from Republicans but from reason. The writer (long cited by the Post as their “Republican columnist” for balance) has called for the media to abandon balance and impartiality. Rubin is demanding that the media just become overt advocates in refusing to report both sides in the myriad of political issues in this election. Continue reading “Washington Post Columnist Calls for the End of Impartiality and Balance in Journalism” →

Media, Politics

Biden Declares Pandemic “Over” Despite Continued Use in Policies and Programs

There were a couple of eye-raising moments this weekend during an interview of President Joe Biden on CBS’ “60 Minutes.” One was his continued blanket denial that his son Hunter had done anything that had any impact on him or the country. However, it was the President’s sudden announcement that the pandemic “is over” that may have taken some people by surprise, including Administration lawyers still using the pandemic as a basis for policies and programs.  This includes a major appellate case this week. Continue reading “Biden Declares Pandemic “Over” Despite Continued Use in Policies and Programs” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Media, Politics

“Kidnapping is a Thing”: MSNBC Continues False Claim that DeSantis is Kidnapping Migrants

I have been writing about the claim of Hillary Clinton and others that the transportation of migrants to places like Martha’s Vineyard is “literally human trafficking” and other crimes. Despite the utter lack of legal basis for these allegations, major media has continued to air such claims. This weekend, MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross and MSNBC regular (and past writer for Above the Law and the Nation) Elie Mystal repeated the false claim that the trips constitute kidnapping. Continue reading ““Kidnapping is a Thing”: MSNBC Continues False Claim that DeSantis is Kidnapping Migrants” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media, Politics

The Post’s Clintonesque “Technical” Truth: The Truth About Hillary’s Email Depends on What the Meaning of “Were” Was

Glenn Kessler at the Washington Post looked at the claim of Hillary Clinton on Twitter this week that “the fact is that I had zero emails that were classified.” The Post declared Clinton “technically correct” in the claim, which left out that she was substantively wrong. While the Post elects not to award any “Pinocchios,” Clinton’s statement is clearly false and even the Post appears to recognize that fact at the very end of its analysis.  Indeed, “technical” truth is wonderfully Clintonesque — captured in Bill’s infamous defense during the Monica Lewinsky investigation that “it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” The email scandal now depends on what the meaning of “were” was.  Hillary Clinton is focusing on whether the emails were marked classified as opposed to whether they contained classified information.

Continue reading “The Post’s Clintonesque “Technical” Truth: The Truth About Hillary’s Email Depends on What the Meaning of “Were” Was” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media, Politics

“The Clinton Standard”: How Hillary Clinton’s False Victimization Claims Reveal a Core Truth

Below is a longer version of my New York Post column on the recent claim of Hillary Clinton that she has been the subject to a long-standing and unfair “Clinton standard” while denying that there was any classified information found on her private server. In a signature move, Clinton is focusing on the actual classification of emails as opposed to the use of the unsecured server for communications with aides that revealed classified information — the reason why such unsecured servers are dangers to national security.

Here is the column:

Continue reading ““The Clinton Standard”: How Hillary Clinton’s False Victimization Claims Reveal a Core Truth” →

Criminal law, Justice, Media

FBI Faces Criticism Over Release of Photo of Classified Documents on Floor

When the Justice Department filed its opposition to a Special Master, there were a number of elements that immediately stood out. The first that I noted was the most important: the allegation that the FBI believed that Trump or his associates “likely” acted to obstruct their investigation. Such public statements are always serious in a criminal case because they can commit investigators to the path of prosecution. I also later noted the curious inclusion of the now widely known photo of classified files that has been widely published. I warned that the photo could leave a misleading impression that this was how the documents were found by the FBI, which has occurred. I then asked why it was included as Attachment F. At best, it seems superfluous. At worst, it could be staging. That debate is now raging on cable programs and the Internet. Update: the photo came up in the hearing after the Trump counsel called it “perfectly staged” but there was no ruling on the Special Master.

Continue reading “FBI Faces Criticism Over Release of Photo of Classified Documents on Floor” →

Columns, Media, Politics

Disinformation Dependables: Bash Joins A Line of Biden Officials Who Pushed False “Russian Disinformation” Claims

The appointment of MSNBC analyst Jeremy Bash to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board triggered an outcry in Washington given Bash’s role in denying the legitimacy of the Hunter Biden laptop as “Russian disinformation.” Bash was not only one of more than 50 former intelligence officials who signed a letter dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 presidential election, but he took to cable news to assure the public that there is nothing to it. Bash is not alone in the Administration as high-ranking officials who pushed such false claims to help get President Biden elected.

Continue reading “Disinformation Dependables: Bash Joins A Line of Biden Officials Who Pushed False “Russian Disinformation” Claims” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media, Politics

Rorschach Redactions: What Did Not Happen with the Release of the Mar-a-Lago Affidavit

Below is my column in the Hill on the release of the affidavit leading to the raid on Mar-a-Lago. The redacted affidavit did confirm key points, but the most interesting elements could be what did not happen. That may change now that a federal judge has finally indicated that a special master may be appointed. Since the start of the controversy over the Mar-a-Lago raid, I have called for the release of a redacted affidavit and the appointment of a special master to sort through the seized material, including alleged attorney-client privileged material. (Indeed, the Justice Department just admitted that it may have collected attorney-client privileged material). Such an appointment could result in additional material being returned to the Trump team and a release of additional information on what was seized under this exceptionally broad warrant.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Rorschach Redactions: What Did Not Happen with the Release of the Mar-a-Lago Affidavit” →

Free Speech, Justice, Media, Politics

Zuckerberg Reveals the FBI Told His Company to be Wary of “Russian Disinformation”

Recently, I wrote about the disclosure of an alleged backchannel between the CDC and Twitter on censoring critics of the agency and its recommendations. Now, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed how the FBI warned Facebook about “Russian propaganda” before the Hunter Biden laptop story dropped in 2020. This follows reports that the FBI told agents not to pursue the laptop and to slow walk any investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged influence peddling schemes.

Continue reading “Zuckerberg Reveals the FBI Told His Company to be Wary of “Russian Disinformation”” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics

Twitter’s “Tricky” Timing Problem: Lawsuit Reveals Back Channel with CDC to Coordinate Censorship
Twitter Logo“Tricky.” Over the course of 110 pages in a federal complaint, that one descriptive word seemed to stand out among the exchanges between social media executives and public health officials on censoring public viewpoints. The exchange reveals long-suspected coordination between the government and these social media companies to manage a burgeoning censorship system. Twitter just reportedly suspended another doctor who sought to raise concerns over Pfizer Covid records. Former New York Times science reporter Alex Berenson is also suing Twitter over his suspension after raising dissenting views to the CDC. In the meantime, Twitter is rolling out new procedures to combat “misinformation” in the upcoming elections — a move that has some of us skeptical. Continue reading “Twitter’s “Tricky” Timing Problem: Lawsuit Reveals Back Channel with CDC to Coordinate Censorship” →
Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Media, Politics

Litigation by Leak: Government Officials Leak New Details on the Mar-a-Lago Raid While Continuing to Oppose Disclosures in Court

One of the most glaring contradictions in the Mar-a-Lago controversy has been the Justice Department demanding absolute and unwavering secrecy over the FBI raid while officials have been leaking details on the raid. The latest example is a report in the New York Times that the Justice Department recovered more than 300 documents with classified markings, citing multiple sources connected to the investigation. Most judges would be a tad annoyed by the contradiction as the government continues to frame the public debate with its own selective leaks while using secrecy to bar other disclosures. That includes sections of the affidavit that detail the communications with the Trump team, information that is already known to the target. Continue reading “Litigation by Leak: Government Officials Leak New Details on the Mar-a-Lago Raid While Continuing to Oppose Disclosures in Court” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media, Politics

How Merrick Garland Missed Four Chances to Earn the Public Trust on Mar-a-Lago

Below is my column in the Hill on the upcoming filing of the Justice Department on proposed redactions to the affidavit that led to the Mar-a-Lago raid. It will be the fifth chance for Attorney General Merrick Garland to take a modest step to assure concerned citizens over the basis or motivation for the raid.

Here is the column: Continue reading “How Merrick Garland Missed Four Chances to Earn the Public Trust on Mar-a-Lago” →

Congress, Criminal law, Media, Politics

The Return of Peter Strzok: How a Fired FBI Official Is Making the Case Against Himself

Peter Strzok is back in the news this week. Career colleagues at the Justice Department previously referred Strzok for possible criminal charges and he was fired for his bias and unprofessional conduct. However, Strzok was immediately embraced by many in the media and establishment for his anti-Trump sentiments. After he was fired, the former special agent was given a lucrative book deal, lionized on the left, featured prominently as an expert by CNN, and given a teaching job at Georgetown. It was an extraordinary recovery from a scandal where he showed flagrant bias, engaged in an affair with another married colleague at the FBI, and fought to continue to investigate Russian collusion claims despite early warnings over the questionable basis of the allegations pushed by the Clinton campaign. (Strzok’s colleague and former paramour, Lisa Page, was given a contract as a legal analyst with NBC and MSNBC). Now, Strzok appears liberated in showing precisely the bias and unhinged hostility alleged by his critics. He has been in the news lashing out at Trump and trolling his objections to the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

Continue reading “The Return of Peter Strzok: How a Fired FBI Official Is Making the Case Against Himself” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics

Twitter Permanently Bans Paul Sperry After Posting on the Mar-A-Lago Raid

Twitter Logo

Twitter continued to crackdown on dissenting political views this week with the permanent suspension of columnist and commentator Paul Sperry.  The suspension came down after Sperry allegedly tweeted about the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago. Sperry said that Twitter gave “No warning, no explanation, reason given.” That is a signature for the company, which has little transparency or ability to challenge such private censorship. Continue reading “Twitter Permanently Bans Paul Sperry After Posting on the Mar-A-Lago Raid” →

Congress, Criminal law, Media, Politics

Poll: The J6 Hearings Had Virtually No Impact on Changing the Public Views

For months, we have been discussing the heavy-handed, one-sided approach of the J6 Committee in the presentation of evidence and witnesses. Both sides blame each other for the absence of a single Republican-selected member. Yet, the Committee treated the lack of balance as a license to present a rigid and scripted account of events and actions, including editing out countervailing views or evidence. For those of us who welcomed the greater transparency on the events of that terrible day, it was a lost opportunity to have a truly historic investigation akin to Watergate or the Kennedy assassination. The result is now evident and unsurprising.  A Monmouth University poll shows that almost 90 percent of respondents report that the hearings have made no change in how they view the J6 riot.  Moreover, despite the overwhelming cooperation and support of the media with the Committee, the vast majority believe that the J6 Committee was a political rather than investigative exercise, focused on opposing Trump rather than disclosing the facts of January 6th. Continue reading “Poll: The J6 Hearings Had Virtually No Impact on Changing the Public Views” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks