Major newspapers held unto pertinent info during the elections!

[Madam45for2923]

Trump, Russia, and the News Story That Wasn’t
Liz Spayd

THE PUBLIC EDITOR JAN. 20, 2017



LATE September was a frantic period for New York Times reporters covering the country’s secretive national security apparatus. Working sources at the F.B.I., the C.I.A., Capitol Hill and various intelligence agencies, the team chased several bizarre but provocative leads that, if true, could upend the presidential race. The most serious question raised by the material was this: Did a covert connection exist between Donald Trump and Russian officials trying to influence an American election?

One vein of reporting centered on a possible channel of communication between a Trump organization computer server and a Russian bank with ties to Vladimir Putin. Another source was offering The Times salacious material describing an odd cross-continental dance between Trump and Moscow. The most damning claim was that Trump was aware of Russia’s efforts to hack Democratic computers, an allegation with implications of treason. Reporters Eric Lichtblau and Steven Lee Myers led the effort, aided by others.

Conversations over what to publish were prolonged and lively, involving Washington and New York, and often including the executive editor, Dean Baquet. If the allegations were true, it was a huge story. If false, they could damage The Times’s reputation. With doubts about the material and with the F.B.I. discouraging publication, editors decided to hold their fire.

But was that the right decision? Was there a way to write about some of these allegations using sound journalistic principles but still surfacing the investigation and important leads? Eventually, The Times did just that, but only after other news outlets had gone first.


I have spoken privately with several journalists involved in the reporting last fall, and I believe a strong case can be made that The Times was too timid in its decisions not to publish the material it had.

I appreciate the majority view that there wasn’t enough proof of a link between Trump and the Kremlin to write a hard-hitting story. But The Times knew several critical facts: the F.B.I. had a sophisticated investigation underway on Trump’s organization, possibly including FISA warrants. (Some news outlets now report that the F.B.I. did indeed have such warrants, an indication of probable cause.) Investigators had identified a mysterious communication channel, partly through a lead from anti-Trump operatives

more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/public-editor/trump-russia-fbi-liz-spayd-public-editor.html?_r=0

[Madam45for2923]

1. Wash Po knew about Kushner's back channel since December - 6 months ago

[Madam45for2923]

2. They held unto Steele's Dossier

[winstars]

3. And this is from the now eliminated position of Public Editor at the NYT, correct?

[still_one]

4. That was done today. Washington Post already got rid of theirs

[Madam45for2923]

7. Why do you think they are getting rid of them?

[still_one]

9. The reason they gave was because they said with the internet, and communications the way

they are, they are able to get enough feedback, and no longer see the position as necessary.

I think the disgraceful way the media, including the NY Times, handled themselves in 2016, more than ever justifies the need for an ombudsman

and with the NY Times adding Bret Stephens, a Climate Change denier makes that point even more necessary in my view

[MiddleClass]

5. Ctump played the media

Like a fiddle,

when he got called to ask for comment, he went right out and undermined the article.

By calling for the exact thing he got caught at. Projectionism

Hey Russia, find Hillary's emails – WikiLeaks releases Democratic emails.

Hey Russia, stop helping Hillary win the election – reports of his Russian connections.

Fake news, there working for Hillary – reports of Russian connections with campaign officials.

Election is rigged, – reports of fake Hillary stories all over Facebook, twitter

stories of crazy "Healthiest man alive" Doctor – Hillary is dying.

All planted to have editors holding stories that were going to run. Brilliant propaganda

[Madam45for2923]

8. It's like the 911 hijackers- it cannot happen the same way b/c now we know

Donald hijacked & played the media for over a year b/c it was shocking & unprecedented.

Next person that tries that sh*t -the whole world will be prepared & cannot be fooled the same way twice.

[Hula Popper]

6. Is this any different from

Shithead Bush wearing that box receiver at the debates?

Fuck all repugnicans, put them to death.