On Tuesday night, NBC News launched an attack piece, accusing Hegseth of abusing his second wife, alleging she “feared for her life.” Other media outlets quickly jumped on the bandwagon, referencing an affidavit purportedly submitted by his former sister-in-law.
Among the flurry of headlines, a notable one claimed that Senators received an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, alleging his actions caused fear in his ex-wife. This was reported by @news_jul, @S_Fitzpatrick, and @ckubeNBC via Amanda Terkel’s tweet.
Axios also reported the claims by stating that Hegseth’s former sister-in-law said his ex-wife feared for her safety, though Hegseth firmly denies these allegations. The New York Times joined in, reporting that a sworn statement was made to senators accusing Hegseth of abuse.
At first glance, these allegations appear serious. An on-record source making such claims is a step beyond the typical press speculations. One might assume this would derail Hegseth’s nomination. However, there is a significant twist: Hegseth’s second wife, the alleged victim, is vehemently denying these claims and is considering legal action.
It’s perplexing how such a story can be reported with sincerity. NBC News did mention this crucial exonerating information, albeit not in their headline or social media posts.
Politico, on the other hand, omitted this fact entirely from their newsletter. Andrew Surabian questioned on Twitter why Politico would exclude the fact that Hegseth’s ex-wife is on record denying these “baseless smears.”
One might assume that when the supposed victim of abuse dismisses the allegations and warns of legal action, it would serve as a red flag for journalists to reconsider running the story. Rest assured, if these allegations were about a Democrat, the media would likely have remained silent.
Much like the infamous Steele dossier incident, the press appears to be using the affidavit as a pretext to disseminate misleading and provocative information aimed at discrediting a Republican.
This affidavit was leaked, and with Hegseth’s ex-wife refuting its claims, there seems little justification for its public dissemination. It’s worth noting that the source of this affidavit is not even the ex-wife herself but her former sister-in-law. This raises questions about her connection to the situation and her motives for making these claims just days before Hegseth’s confirmation, rather than years earlier.
The strategy being employed mirrors what was seen during Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation, yet it is unlikely to succeed. The press has been caught off guard with this story and continues to pursue it for superficial engagement. If they wish to jeopardize their credibility and reinforce why many Americans supported Trump’s re-election, they are free to proceed.
The media’s approach to this story shines a light on the growing divide in journalism, where facts are sometimes bent to fit a narrative. In this instance, it’s clear that the right-of-center perspective is under siege. Yet, it’s also evident that such attempts to manipulate public perception are losing their impact.
The American public is increasingly perceptive to media bias and is demanding more accountability and balance in reporting.
The allegations against Hegseth and the media’s handling of the situation reflect a broader trend of politically motivated attacks. As Hegseth’s confirmation approaches, it is crucial to discern the truth from misleading narratives. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the media to present facts honestly, allowing the public to make informed decisions.
In the current political climate, it’s more important than ever for journalism to uphold integrity and resist the urge to sensationalize unproven claims. The scrutiny faced by right-of-center figures like Hegseth serves as a reminder of the challenges they encounter. However, it also highlights their resilience in the face of adversity.
3 Comments
We need to inact a bill that would make it a crime and to hit them with a penalty if the media puts something out that is totally false and has no merit. Sources need to be verified before false allegations are put out to the majority.
Dang, Randy, that would be a great bill. Unfortunately, it will never happen. No one in Congress has the guts to put that forward. Maybe President Trump will push for such a law.
Allen, Randy; You’re both correct but these major news outlets are as bad or actually exponentially worse than the old grocery market newsstand gossip tabloid papers like the National Enquirer were with their off the wall sick and twisted fake stories; as this is on a massive scale and right at the public’s fingertips! And the TV major networks have always been under some safeguarding of public standards by the FCC, “once upon a time,” but now “all is fair game” with the corruption and big money behind Mass Media and Big Tech overriding or even at times ruling Congress!
So if those standards or old practices were kept in mind these days, updated and enforced yes they should be “pounding the crap out of these news agencies” and “even pulling them off the public media domain while charging them with a slew of crimes and breaches” of FCC Standards, to protect the public and keep it all legit! Back in the day they couldn’t even get away with slight guttural speech like shit or asshole! But they won’t be doing this anytime soon!
“Money talks and bullshit walks,” especially when referring “The Crooked Ways of the World!”