Last night, Brian Ross led ABC's broadcast with "an ABC News exclusive" report claiming that Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was now a prime target of the Justice Department probe into the dealings of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Citing unidentified sources within the investigation, Brian Ross breathlessly reported that Hastert "is in the mix". ABC news analyst and Clintonista George Stephanopoulos declared that the story, if true, would be "seismic".
Some are speculating that ABC concocted the story in an effort to draw attention away from Democratic Representative William Jefferson, who was allegedly videotaped accepting a $100,000 bribe from an undercover FBI operative.
This is not the first time that ABC News has been accused of gross political bias. A 2004 memo by ABC News Political Director Mark Halperin exhorted reporters to slant stories to John Kerry's advantage.
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>>>>Some are speculating that ABC concocted the story in an effort to draw attention away from Democratic Representative William Jefferson,
Yup. Sounds about right. Shows how the Libs in the MSM simply can't help themselves anymore. Of course, lying for Liberals is not a problem because it's all for a "good cause."
Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at May 25, 2006 09:05 AM (8e/V4)
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Even though the story is totally bogus, I'm sure it's accurate....
Posted by: Rusty at May 25, 2006 09:13 AM (JQjhA)
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Both sides twist issues for the sheep, that's why we have to keep our heads out of the sand!
Posted by: MidwestMilitia at May 25, 2006 09:30 AM (dU7Sj)
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Apparently the story about Jews and Christians being forced to wear badges in Iran is also untrue. Just another instance of the MSM making shiznit up...
Posted by: Venom at May 25, 2006 09:38 AM (dbxVM)
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Looks like Brian Ross may have gotten PWNED as a side effect of Justice looking for leakers.
-two birds with one stone.... Yeah baby!
Posted by: mrclark at May 25, 2006 09:53 AM (dReBH)
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When the media make mistakes that make Democrats look bad, it's a mistake. When they make mistakes that make Republicans look bad, it's bias.
I get it now.
Remember all the stuff about Condit killing Levy? About John Kerry's affair? About Clinton's phony demonstrations in Russia? All the stories about Clinton that turned out to be utterly bogus--Travelgate, Filegate, the white house secret service guy who told numerous lies, but got on numerous shows...
The media makes mistakes. I think the Rather case was a case of bias, particularly by him and his producer. But we don't know enough about this case to say this is bias. It may turn out that hastert is a target. After all, the guy received more money from Abramoff than anyone else in washington.
But cease blowing the tocsin everytime the media says something bad about a Republican. If you read up on the Hostile Media Hypothesis, you'll get a perspective on why you think the media is so negative towards your guys. It's a natural reaction that almost all strong partisans have, whether of the left or the right.
Posted by: jd at May 25, 2006 10:27 AM (aqTJB)
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Hastert threatens libel suit against MSM liars:
"This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC NewsÂ’ continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker HastertÂ’s reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.
We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.
Please advise regarding who will accept service of process to remedy this international falsehood."
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash8.htm
Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at May 25, 2006 10:31 AM (8e/V4)
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<SARCASM>The truthiness of the ABC report is much more important than the truthfulness of the facts.</SARCASM>
Posted by: Izzy at May 25, 2006 10:34 AM (Lz4EE)
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I think the part you might be missing, jd, is the fact that even when told by the DoJ that it was false, they continued with the story. Whether or not they decide to investigate him at a later date has no bearing on it. At this point in time they say he isn't being investigated. I'm not defending Hastert. I don't know whether or not he did anything illegal. If he did, I hope the door hits him in the arse. But until then the whole thing sounds like mere speculation on ABC's part or, God forbid, "bad intel".
Posted by: Oyster at May 25, 2006 10:49 AM (nBOAO)
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Way to go Brian! Opps there goes another GM pickup truck gas tank .... baboom! There is always CBS or the WB!
Posted by: hondo at May 25, 2006 02:14 PM (DaNq1)
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Good points, Oyster--but if ABC had an impeccable source that said, this story is true, and they checked after the denial, and the source still said so...it could all be a mistake, and ABC did run with DOJ's denial. But even if it is a mistake, it does not automatically show bias. Journalists make mistakes. Like believing Paula Jones (for me, neither Clinton nor Paula Jones were telling the truth--I believe the trooper who took her to the room).
Posted by: jd at May 25, 2006 02:21 PM (aqTJB)
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Looks like DAN BLATHER has,nt learned
Posted by: sandpiper at May 25, 2006 02:34 PM (760E/)
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jd, it just seems lately these "sources" are less and less impeccable and more and more mixing personal judgement with raw data. If they are indeed eyeballing Hastert and have yet to initiate a formal ivestigation, it should be reported as such. It's never good for information like this to get out and cause this kind of ruckus. If Hastert is guilty of something it could impede an investigation. It appears more that some inner circle, over-zealous anti-republican who has information just can't wait for justice to take its proper course in due time.
Posted by: Oyster at May 25, 2006 04:54 PM (YudAC)
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Unfortunately jd, any media stories that are harmful to the dhimmicrats are inconventiently true, while most of those harmful to the dhimmis' enemies are mostly fabrications to one extent or another. You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 26, 2006 05:59 AM (0yYS2)
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Actually, the rumor now is that this was a leak intended to get Hastert to STFU about the Congressional immunity of Jefferson's office. I don't know if it is true, but it smells of the hardball Karl Rove stuff. They are starting to eat their own children now...
Posted by: jd at May 26, 2006 07:42 AM (rqllT)
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>>>it smells of the hardball Karl Rove stuff.
lol! Yeah right. Have you ever heard the expression cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at May 26, 2006 08:02 AM (8e/V4)
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Why is it lefturds think that just because they are sycophantically loyal to their corrupt Dhimmicrat whores, that we should feel the same about corrupt Republican whores? I say arrest 'em all if there's the least shadow of impropriety.
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 27, 2006 03:46 PM (0yYS2)
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