https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/brian-sicknick-fire-extinguisher/
On Jan. 8, 2021, The New York Times reported that U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick succumbed to injuries sustained during his on-duty efforts to protect the Capitol from a violent mob of pro-Trump rioters. The latter stormed the building in an effort to stop Congress from formalizing the electoral win of former President Donald Trump’s political rival, U.S. President Joe Biden.
Citing two unnamed law enforcement sources, the Times initially reported Sicknick “was struck with a fire extinguisher,” but on Feb. 16, 2021, the Times updated the story to note that those sources may not have provided accurate information, reporting:
Law enforcement officials initially said that Sicknick was struck by a fire extinguisher -- an idea perpetuated by The New York Times in a February report that was quietly updated one month later. U.S. Capitol Police later said Sicknick had "succumbed to his injuries" after defending the building, although questions lingered about the cause of death.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald reminded readers that The New York Times "published an emotionally gut-wrenching but complete fiction that never had any evidence" by initially reporting, as Greenwald put it, that Sicknick’s "skull was savagely bashed in with a fire extinguisher by a pro-Trump mob until he died."
Weeks later, the Times quietly updated its story to note new information "questions the initial cause of his death provided by officials close to the Capitol Police," but the revision came weeks after the inaccurate information was initially published.
Being a Journalist Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry
https://mishpacha.com/being-a-journalist-means-never-having-to-say-youre-sorry/
One might think that the MSM, which did so much to push the story that Sicknick had his skull bashed in, might have done some soul-searching in the wake of those findings. But if you thought so, you obviously do not remember the MSM reaction to the refutation of a much more ballyhooed and long-running story of Trump’s collusion with Russia that proved to be a dud.
At the time, one could have searched in vain for examples of media self-examination as to how they got such a major story so wrong. New York Times editor Dean Baquet, for example, simply informed the newsroom that the paper would have to find a new narrative to pursue, and seamlessly switched to the 1619 Project and the exploration of America’s systemic racism.
The media, Greenwald ends, treated Sicknick’s tragic death as a convenient means to portray the rioters as savages so primitive and inhuman that they were willing to fatally bash the skull of a helpless person or spray him with deadly gases. “None of this was true, but that did not matter — and still does not to them — because truth has nothing to do with their actual function. If anything, truth is an impediment to it.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56810371
Speculation over Officer Sicknick's death was the source of widespread disinformation after the New York Times reported erroneously that protesters had bludgeoned him with a fire extinguisher - a claim the newspaper later retracted.
https://apnews.com/article/politics-government-and-politics-b497800805aedae48b72bc4837b90042
Investigators initially believed the officer was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher, based on statements collected early in the investigation, according to two people familiar with the case. And they later thought the 42-year-old Sicknick may have ingested a chemical substance — possibly bear spray — that may have contributed to his death.
Of course Rosenblum has no mention of right wing media claiming that Trump lost because of voter fraud or that Biden was banning beef or that falsely claiming that VP Harris' book was being given to immigrants etc etc
Of course Rosenblum didn't mention those things. His article wasn't about those topics. It's a very liberal thing to insist that, no matter what you're writing about, you have to throw in condemnation of Trump and the right.
ReplyDeleteNope what was the article about? That the left stream media never acknowledges mistakes but is primarily concerned with finding ways to attack.
ReplyDeleteOnly problem with this false claim is that the original story originated from the police and it was corrected by the NYT. The point Rosenblum was really trying to make is that like Trump said, the Capitol attack was not so bad and he was not actually concerned with honesty in reporting.
Pot calling kettle black!
Yes, yes, the erroneous story was on page 1 and the retraction somewhere in the bottom corner of 15 but they acknowledged it!
ReplyDelete