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February 10, 2012
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Home » Blogs » Al Brown's blog
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Did ABC's Brian Ross Lie to Hype Foley Story? Updated

By Al Brown | October 04, 2006 | 14:19

Change font size:  A |  A
From ABC News [emphasis added]:
ABC News now has obtained 52 separate instant message exchanges, which former pages say were sent by Foley, using the screen name Maf54, to two different boys under the age of 18.

This message was dated April 2003, at approximately 7 p.m., according to the message time stamp.

But blogger William Kerr of Passionate America says that he has identified the former page, that he is 21 now, and that he was 18 at the time the instant messages were exchanged.

Kerr says that he discovered a copy of the instant messages on ABC's website that did not have the former page's screen name redacted. Using the screen name, Kerr and fellow blogger Ms. Underestimated say they were able to identify Foley's correspondent as a 21 year old former page, who was apparently 18 at the time of the instant messages with Foley.

That would make ABC's story of an "underage" page being stalked by a predator a story about two consenting adults exchanging instant messages. Did Brian Ross know this, or did he willfully lie in order to run with the story and "get" the Republicans five weeks before the elections?

Update 8:55PM: ABC Trying to Hide Foley Mistake? Changes Text of 'Blotter' Entry This post pointed out that ABC had mislead the public by misstating the age of one of the former pages who was instant messaged by Mark Foley as under 18. ABC News has changed the copy on their story about the Foley IMs:

ABC News now has obtained 52 separate instant message exchanges, which former pages say were sent by Foley, using the screen name Maf54, to two different boys who began their exchanges with Foley at the age of 16 and 17, and continued through the age of 18.
But the original wording is still in the Google cache:
ABC News now has obtained 52 separate instant message exchanges, which former pages say were sent by Foley, using the screen name Maf54, to two different boys under the age of 18.
The "Blotter" entry does not acknowledge the correction. Share this
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