Fake News: NY Times, Nancy Pelosi, Elijah Cummings quote bogus Michael Flynn twitter account
The New York Times and Newsmax published a story on General Flynn’s resignation from President Trump’s cabinet, and the liberal news outlet included tweets sent from a fake account called “Not Michael Flynn.”
It wasn’t long for other Democrats to quote the Times coverage as truth: Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA) both cited the tweets during separate press conferences.
While I accept full responsibility for my actions, I feel it is unfair that I have been made the sole scapegoat for what happened. (1/2) – @GenMikeFlynn
But if a scapegoat is what’s needed for this Administration to continue to take this great nation forward, I am proud to do my duty. – @GenMikeFlynn
Hotair published screenshots of the tweets noting that the Times correction at the very bottom of their article. It states “because of an editing error, an earlier version quoted three posts from an unverified Twitter account purporting to be Mr. Flynn’s, responding to the resignation.”
Ironically on their site, a pop-up ad promotes the NYT: “Discover the truth.”
Just like Pelosi and Cummings, Newsmax published blindly, claiming that the Times published first, with no other “excuse.”
Flynn resigned early Tuesday after reports he misled senior Trump White House officials about his conversations with Russia.
President Trump has named retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as acting national security adviser. Kellogg previously served as Flynn’s chief of staff on the National Security Council.
“Fake news,” or bogus reporting from major news outlets has been a topic of contention between Trump and the press corps since taking office, particularly when CNN reported on a erroneous story about Trump with prostitutes in Russia which was fully released by BuzzFeed.
Trump called out the CNN reported during his first press conference. The NY Times referred to this fake story as unflattering.