In a matter of days, the liberal broadcast networks went from covering up Antifa and Black Lives Matter violence in Portland, Oregon, to playing dumb about why federal agents were out in force. Despite weeks of riots and attacks on federal buildings in the city, ABC, CBS, and NBC spent Monday night clutching their pearls over video of federal agents rounding up the attackers and taking them away. In response, multiple networks suggested that there was “no explanation” for the arrests.
The report from correspondent Kayna Whitworth during ABC’s World News Tonight was arguably the worst. She began her instance of journalistic malpractice by never mentioning the fact that the violence had been going on for six weeks. Instead, she immediately jumped to blaming federal agents.
“Tonight, a city on edge. Over the weekend, some demonstrators responding to the President's deployment of federal agents, officially there to protect federal property, clashing on the streets,” she proclaimed.
After noting that “city and state officials demanding the removal of agents,” viewers could sense the true fear in her voice when she informed them: “This morning, the President saying he could consider sending agents to other major American cities.”
Palpable fear was also present on the CBS Evening News. “Tonight, CBS News has obtained an email showing President Trump is preparing to send federal officers to patrol the streets of Chicago in response to growing gun violence,” anchor Norah O’Donnell fretted. “Now, this follows fierce clashes in Portland, Oregon, between federal officers and protestors.”
Correspondent Carter Evans also failed to tell viewers that the violence had been ongoing for weeks. “Federal officers in Portland on orders from the White House fired gas and rubber bullets as they faced off with protestors,” he said. “The clashes escalated after video show federal officers in fatigues pulling people off the streets with no explanation.”
Throughout his report, Evan insisted the federal response was political, even grilling acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli with his speculation (click “expand”):
EVANS: City officials and state government are asking you to remove your federal officers. Why force the issue?
CUCCINELLI: Well, we're not forcing any issue, we're accomplishing our mission which is to protect the federal facilities.
EVANS: Can you say, once and for all, that there is absolutely no political motivation behind this?
CUCCINELLI: Yes, absolutely. Look, this is us doing our job.
As if it proved his accusation, Evans scoffed at a soundbite of President Trump accurately noting the cities with massive violence problems were run by “liberal Democrats.”
Meanwhile, NBC Nightly News, correspondent Erin McLaughlin managed to admit the violence had been going on for “six weeks.” But she allowed her report to be a megaphone Democratic bashing of the federal response, featuring state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum; complete with claims that there was “no explanation” (click “expand”):
MCLAUGHLIN: If they had identified themselves, would this be an issue?
ROSENBLUM: That's part of it. And that would certainly help. But they also are certainly not giving any explanations for what they're doing or why they're doing it.
MCLAUGHLIN: Portland’s Democratic mayor blames President Trump, saying the recent arrival of federal officers inflamed the situation.
McLaughlin also dropped the media’s standard spin line that “many protests have been peaceful, but…”
This level of cover-up proves that the media were intentionally trying to defend the extremist elements of their party.
Their cover-up of violence was made possible with lucrative sponsorships from Fisher Investments on ABC, Ensure on CBS, and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their contact information is linked.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
July 20, 2020
6:43:55 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: In the meantime, next, to the standoff in Portland, Oregon. Federal law enforcement officers using tear gas on protesters, and taking some of them off the street by force. And what the President is now saying. ABC's Kayna Whitworth from Portland.
[Cuts to video
KAYNA WHITWORTH: Tonight, a city on edge. Over the weekend, some demonstrators responding to the President's deployment of federal agents, officially there to protect federal property, clashing on the streets.
Video tweeted out by Oregon senator Jeff Merkley shows a protester being detained and placed in an unmarked minivan. Customs and Border Protection officials saying its agents took the action in the video because the protester was "Suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property" and that the suspect was moved to a "Safer location for further questioning."
(…)
WHITWORTH: City and state officials demanding the removal of agents. This morning, the President saying he could consider sending agents to other major American cities.
PRESIDENT DONALD TURMP: We're not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia and Detroit and Baltimore and all these -- Oakland is a mess. [Transition] We’re going to have more federal law enforcement. That I can tell you.
[Cuts back to live]
WHITWORTH: Davis, the police union and the mayor tell me they are ready to make changes to law enforcement practices. City and community leaders here are calling for an end to the violence. David.
MUIR: All right, Kayna Whitworth, thank you.
CBS Evening News
July 20, 2020
6:41:59 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, CBS News has obtained an email showing President Trump is preparing to send federal officers to patrol the streets of Chicago in response to growing gun violence. Now, this follows fierce clashes in Portland, Oregon, between federal officers and protestors. Here's CBS's Carter Evans.
[Cuts to video]
CARTER EVANS: Federal officers in Portland on orders from the White House fired gas and rubber bullets as they faced off with protestors. The clashes escalated after video show federal officers in fatigues pulling people off the streets with no explanation. And then, over the weekend, 53-year-old Christopher David, a naval academy graduate said he asked officers about their oath to protect the constitution. And got this response.
(…)
EVANS: City officials and state government is asking you to remove your federal officers. Why force the the issue?
KEN CUCCINELLI (DHS official): Well, we're not forcing any issue, we're accomplishing our mission which is to protect the federal facilities.
EVANS: Can you say, once and for all, that there is absolutely no political motivation behind this?
CUCCINELLI: Yes, absolutely. Look, this is us doing our job.
EVANS: That job could spread to other communities. CBS News obtained a DHS memo that says, “the first city identified was Chicago and we have been tasked to send 175 agents to assist,” reporting middle of next week. Today the President characterized those cities.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: All run by liberal Democrats.
[Cuts back to live]
EVANS: Well, Oregon’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies accusing them of using unlawful tactics here and violating civil rights. You can see there are already some protestors in the park here. They’re plan to be many more here again tonight. Norah?
NBC Nightly News
July 20, 2020
7:21:58 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Portland, Oregon is on edge tonight after weeks of violence in the streets. Now the recent arrival of federal agents is sparking a new firestorm. NBC's Erin McLaughlin is there.
[Cuts to video]
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN: Tonight Portland is reeling. After six weeks of violence, protesters once again storming federal property, setting a fire at a courthouse. Now Oregon's attorney general is asking for a temporary restraining order to stop what she argues are unlawful arrests of protesters by federal agents.
If they had identified themselves, would this be an issue?
ELLEN ROSENBLUM: That's part of it. And that would certainly help. But they also are certainly not giving any explanations for what they're doing or why they're doing it.
MCLAUGHLIN: Portland’s Democratic mayor blames President Trump, saying the recent arrival of federal officers inflamed the situation.
(…)
MCLAUGHLIN: But the President says, local officials had lost control. While many protests have been peaceful, there has also been violence against police and looting.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: These are anarchists, and the politicians out there, yes, they're weak, but they're afraid of these people. They're actually afraid of these people and that's why they say, we don't want the federal government helping.
(…)
