In light of the recent Tommy Christopher debacle, I think it’s about time we started asking big-J Journalists to show their work. Let’s start with Jennifer Preston of the New York Times:
At least three months before the revelation that former Representative Anthony D. Weiner was sending lewd messages and photos to women online, a small group of self-described conservatives was monitoring his exchanges with women on Twitter. Now there is evidence that one or more people created two false identities on Twitter in order to collect information to use against him.
How do you know they were trying to get information to use against Weiner? Show your work, please. Bonus points if you can explain why these girls and Nikki/Betty’s mom later issued deliriously pro-Weiner statements that sounded like something from his P.R. team. All part of their devious plan to attack him!
Now Tommy Christopher:
The main thrust of the story was that Rep. Weiner had not made inappropriate contact with “Betty,” and that Andrew Breitbart was not guilty of engineering a hoax against Weiner. Both of these things are still true.
How do you know that Rep. Weiner did not make inappropriate contact with Nikki/Betty? Show your work, please.
And stop calling her Betty. The NYT published their names. Here is your handy guide:
Betty=Nikki Reid
Veronica=Marianela Alicea
Ethel=EthelThe thrust of your story before, Tommy, was:
1. Marianela contacted the #bornfreecrew (PatriotUSA76, Mike Stack/goatsred, and others) saying she had relatively innocuous DMs between Nikki and Weiner, and DMs between Seattle woman Gennette Cordova and Weiner showing they had flirted. Marianela told Stack Nikki was willing to provide all this, but that they both insisted on anonymity.
2. Nikki contacted you to raise the #bornfreecrew as an issue. When you asked her about what Marianela had, they both denied it, said they made it up, issued pro-Weiner statements, and told you they were really Nikki Reid and Marianela Alicea. Now we learn that last bit was a lie — so you conclude that they are now telling the truth about everything else. And the New York Times concludes they are pro-Weiner.
Sigh.
