Despite the fact, there was no evidence that Russian meddling in the 2016 election had any influence on the result, the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC warned they were at it again with a hack of the Ukrainian energy company that hired Hunter Biden. In the course of their fear-mongering reports, the networks suggested Russia was working on behalf of Trump, was the reason he got elected, and in one case insinuated Trump may have been working with the Russians. All of which were unfounded conspiracy theories.
During the lead-in on the CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O’Donnell told viewers “the timing of the hack is especially important” because it happened when the impeachment proceedings were starting to heat up. “The report says Russian military hackers targeted Burisma, the firm where Joe Biden's son, Hunter, served on the board. It is the same company President Trump wanted investigated,” announced CBS’s chief justice and homeland security correspondent, Jeff Pegues as if he found a clue.
Pegues would later appear to insinuate the President had some personal influence over Russia’s actions in 2016 by taking a Trump quote out of context and conflating it with the leaked emails:
PEGUES: U.S. intelligence officials have warned that the Russians would again meddle in the presidential election.
TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.
PEGUES: In 2016, they stole and released thousands of documents and emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign.
With the use of juxtaposition in her NBC Nightly News report, chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson suggested Russia was working for Trump. “Democrats say the President abused his power by pressuring Ukrainians to investigate that company, something the President denies,” she said. “Now, a security firm says Russian spies are trying to hack Burisma, potentially looking for damaging emails about the Bidens.”
If that wasn’t clear enough, Jackson then shared this soundbite from proven-liar, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA): “It is clear if that's the case that once again, they have a favorite. They don't want Joe Biden it would appear from this target, and this would help Donald Trump.”
Over on ABC’s World News Tonight, chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas reported: “The company suspects the Russians were fishing for damaging information about the Bidens to try to help Trump, using the same playbook from the 2016 campaign.”
He then promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory that the Russians were the reason Trump was elected by leaning a tweet from two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. “The irony not lost on Hillary Clinton who today tweeted, ‘Will the Russians help pick our POTUS does again?’ For his part, President Trump has suggested he'd take dirt on an opponent from a foreign power,” Thomas reported.
The networks were effectively doing the work of the Russian government for them by they spread panic and misinformation about what happened in 2016, further dividing the country.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
January 14, 2020
6:43:16 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And as the impeachment trial gets underway early next week, there is a new report tonight that the Russian military is interfering in the 2020 election already. Accused of hacking the Ukrainian energy company where Hunter Biden worked. Here's ABC's chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas tonight.
[Cuts to video]
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, a new security report claiming the Russians are at it again. Area One, a cyber-security firm based in Silicon Valley says, the same Russian military division that targeted Hillary Clinton's campaign has hacked Burisma, that's the Ukraine-based energy company where Joe Biden's son Hunter served on the board.
The report says the hack came in November at the height of the impeachment hearings. The President's push to get Ukraine to investigate the Biden's now focus of the case against him.
(…)
THOMAS: The security company claims that Russia's GRU unit targeted Burisma employees, trying to trick them to click onto fake websites, giving the hackers a backdoor in. The company suspects the Russians were fishing for damaging information about the Bidens to try to help Trump, using the same playbook from the 2016 campaign.
The irony not lost on Hillary Clinton who today tweeted, "Will the Russians help pick our POTUS does again?" For his part, President Trump has suggested he'd take dirt on an opponent from a foreign power.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
THOMAS: David, we reached out to Burisma, but so far, no comment. The Biden campaign is emphasizing that Hunter Biden did nothing wrong and are calling on President Trump to condemn the alleged hack. David?
MUIR: All right, Pierre, thank you.
CBS Evening News
January 14, 2020
6:38:11 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: The impeachment, of course, is centered on allegations that the President pressured Ukraine for information on Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Well, tonight, we're learning details about a new Russian hacking effort into a Ukrainian gas company. Jeff Pegues reports the timing of the hack is especially important.
[Cuts to video]
JEFF PEGUES: The report says Russian military hackers targeted Burisma, the firm where Joe Biden's son, Hunter, served on the board. It is the same company President Trump wanted investigated.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Hunter, you're a loser. Why did you get $1.5 billion, Hunter?
PEGUES: The breach came just as the talk of impeachment intensified on Capitol Hill. The hackers tricked some of Burisma’s employees into handing over their log-in credentials and got into one of the company’s servers. The hackers barraged the company with fishing attacks.
(…)
PEGUES: Norah O’Donnell asked the former Vice President on 60 Minutes about the likelihood he would be the target in 2020.
O’DONNELL: The Russians are targeting you.
FORMER VP JOE BIDEN: The Russians don't want me to be president and Trump doesn't want me to be the nominee.
PEGUES: U.S. intelligence officials have warned that the Russians would again meddle in the presidential election.
TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.
PEGUES: In 2016, they stole and released thousands of documents and emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
January 14, 2020
7:07:47 p.m. Eastern(…)
HALLIE JACKSON: Hunter Biden served on the board of a Ukrainian company called Burisma. Democrats say the president abused his power by pressuring Ukrainians to investigate that company, something the President denies.
Now, a security firm says Russian spies are trying to hack Burisma, potentially looking for damaging emails about the Bidens. It's the same Russian group indicted for hacking the DNC and Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman in 2016. Democrats warning today the Kremlin could be at it again, trying to interfere in our next election.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): It is clear if that's the case that once again, they have a favorite. They don't want Joe Biden it would appear from this target, and this would help Donald Trump.
(…)
