When in doubt, blame Russia, Russia, Russia- which is exactly what Univision’s news department did early Thursday morning. As you can see in the following clip, anchor Alan Tacher from Univision´s Despierta América opened his report on the Pentagon Papers leak with a classic Russia hoax conspiracy line: “Does Russia have a spy in the Pentagon?”
ALAN TACHER: And does Russia have a spy in the Pentagon? Yes, you heard correctly. That is the question that many are trying to answer after the massive leak of top secret intelligence documents. The Washington Post describes the alleged leaker as a former employee of a military base, albeit without revealing his identity.
EDWIN PITTI: New reports suggest that the alleged person responsible for leaking highly classified Pentagon documents may be a man in his 20s who worked at a military base.
…
Although leaders in Ukraine blame Russia for the leak, the alleged leaker's friend refutes that version.
…
WITNESS: He is not a Russian operative. He is not a Ukrainian operative. I’ll go as far to say he’s not even on the east side of the world. He was a young, charismatic man who loved nature, God, who loved shooting guns and racing cars.
Next in line behind blaming Russia for the online publication of the classified documents, just in case The Washington Post theory proved to be fake? Describing the alleged leaker, who was said to work at a military base, as a progressive´s ideal of a conservative man:
“He was a young, charismatic man who loved nature, God, who loved shooting guns and racing cars,” said a camouflaged “witness” about the suspected leaker, who mentioned that the suspect began sharing the documents last year via a Discord chat room.
Not long after the above mentioned segment was aired at Univision, US Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder held a news briefing at the Pentagon confirming that the person who leaked the documents had been identified. Later in the day, univision.com informed that a man identified as National Guard airman Jack Teixeira had been arrested by the FBI.
Regardless of the outcome of this breach in national security, the man's identity and motivations, playing whodunit at the expense of an uninformed audience has no place in supposedly objective news reporting. Speculation like this has never been newsworthy.
Press “Expand” to view the complete transcript of the segment mentioned above as aired on April 12, 2023 by Univision's Despierta América:
ALAN TACHER: And does Russia have a spy in the Pentagon? Yes, you heard correctly. That is the question that many are trying to answer after the massive leak of top secret intelligence documents. The Washington Post describes the alleged leaker as a former employee of a military base, albeit without revealing his identity. So let's go live to the nation's capital with Edwin Pitti, who tells us what such records might say about the war in Ukraine. Tell us, Edwin. This is extremely dangerous.
EDWIN PITTI: Totally dangerous, Alan, and there is a lot of information out there regarding the war in the Ukraine. That is why the White House, from the beginning, has been trying to contain all the consequences that this very serious leak has brought forward. Let's watch the next report.
New reports suggest that the alleged person responsible for leaking highly classified Pentagon documents may be a man in his 20s who worked at a military base. The Washington Post interviewed one of his friends who said that the suspect began sharing the documents last year via a Discord chat room.
WITNESS: I don’t think that there was a goal nor some sort of accomplishment that he was looking for in sharing these documents…
PITTI: Chat participants say that the man shared several documents a week, saying that the US intelligence community was a sinister force that sought to suppress its citizens and keep them in the dark.
WITNESS: He disagreed with several occasions such as Waco and Ruby Ridge, and thought that the government is overreaching in several aspects…
PITTI: Discord is cooperating with the criminal investigation that is led by the Department of Justice.
ROGER PARDO MAURER: Not just the secrets but the information, period. It shouldn't surprise us. All the personnel files of all the White House staff were very easily stolen by China several years ago, and nothing ever happened.
PITTI: Although leaders in Ukraine blame Russia for the leak, the alleged leaker's friend refutes that version.
WITNESS: He is not a Russian operative. He is not a Ukrainian operative. I’ll go as far to say he’s not even on the east side of the world. He was a young, charismatic man who loved nature, God, who loved shooting guns and racing cars.
PITTI: Next week, the United States faces harsh questioning when officials here in Washington, DC have to travel to Germany in order to meet with more than 50 countries and coordinate the shipment of military aid to Ukraine. It is expected that there they will be asked, above all, about the information contained in these leaked documents that show how this government spied on its own allies. I'm Edwin Pitti, live from Washington, DC. Back to you in the studio, with more "Despierta América".
TACHER: Thank you, thank you. Edwin Pitti, live from the nation's capital.
