On Wednesday, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt flaunted just how much he felt “fairness is overrated,” when he had his program censor an Inspector General report that busted a fake news narrative. About a year ago, the liberal media accused then-President Trump of having Lafayette Park cleared of Black Lives Matter protesters for a photo-op in front of St. John’s Church.
CBS Evening News calling it “vindication for the Trump administration.” But NBC was more interested in trying to get viewers deals for hot summer sales on bathing suits, lipstick, and other frivolous items. The network was also fascinated with a group of elephants migrating across China.
And then there was NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell gushing over how President Biden was supposedly going to be harsher on Russian President Vladimir Putin than Trump was. Of course, she didn’t mention Biden waiving sanctions and allowing Russia to finish a pipeline to Germany.
The reporting by CBS congressional correspondent Kris Van Cleave stood in stark contrast to Holt’s manipulated reality. “Tonight, vindication for the Trump administration,” he admitted.
Adding: “An inspector general report finds federal law enforcement officers that aggressively cleared protesters and media from outside of the White House during last summer's social justice demonstrations did not do it to make way for this presidential photo-op at St. John's church.”
He also noted that the report had corroborated what Attorney General Bill Barr was saying at the time in defense of the action:
VAN CLEAVE: The findings support this from then-Attorney General bill Barr to Face the Nation's Margaret Brennan last June.
BARR: I gave the green light at 2 o’clock. Obviously, I didn't know that the President was going to be speaking later that day.
“The report found the U.S. Park Police and other agencies that swept through what is now Black Lives Matter Plaza, did it to make way for expanded security fencing after nights of violent unrest,” Van Cleave reported.
Though, there was a rather puzzling moment from Van Cleave.
As he was wrapping up his report, he contradicted his “vindication” comment when he began to huff about Trump putting out a statement saying something similar:
Tonight, the former President, Mr. Trump, is praising the report as “highly detailed.” He says it “completely and totally exonerates” him. But it's important to note that this was limited in scope. It was done by the inspector general for the Department of the Interior, focused on the U.S. Park Police response. It did not talk to Barr or other former Trump administration officials.
It seemed as though van Cleave didn’t want to give the former President credit for what he was saying. And he delivered those comments from inform of the same church Trump stood in front of.
NBC and Lester Holt’s refusal to be fair arbiters of the truth was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Procter & Gamble and Ensure. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
June 9, 2021
6:35:24 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Well, tonight, a new government report answers some key questions that came out of an ugly incident last June. This was when U.S. Park Police and other federal law enforcement agencies forcibly cleared protesters from Lafayette Park, near the White House. Well, soon after, then-President Trump posed for pictures at a nearby church. CBS' Kris Van Cleave on what this new report found.
[Cuts to video]
KRIS VAN CLEAVE: Tonight, vindication for the Trump administration. An inspector general report finds federal law enforcement officers that aggressively cleared protesters and media from outside of the White House during last summer's social justice demonstrations did not do it to make way for this presidential photo-op at St. John's church.
JOURNALIST: Is that your Bible?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It's a Bible.
VAN CLEAVE: The findings support this from then-Attorney General bill Barr to Face the Nation's Margaret Brennan last June.
AG WILLIAM BARR: I gave the green light at 2 o’clock. Obviously, I didn't know that the President was going to be speaking later that day.
VAN CLEAVE: But when Bill Barr arrived at the White House later that day, the report says he's asked police, "Are these people still going to be here when the President comes out?"
The use of force in Lafayette Square was heavily criticized and is the subject of a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice. The report found the U.S. Park Police and other agencies that swept through what is now Black Lives Matter Plaza, did it to make way for expanded security fencing after nights of violent unrest.
(VAN CLEAVE back then) That's a flashbang. All right, o we are just minutes away from D.C.'s 7 o’clock curfew. You heard the flashbang. That is an attempt to clear the crowd out.
(VAN CLEAVE current) While the IG report says officers made three announcements to disperse the crowd, it came as a surprise to many. Other law enforcement officers, demonstrators, and our CBS News crews on the scene did not hear any warnings.
[Cuts back to live]
Tonight, the former President, Mr. Trump, is praising the report as “highly detailed.” He says it “completely and totally exonerates” him. But it's important to note that this was limited in scope. It was done by the inspector general for the Department of the Interior, focused on the U.S. Park Police response. It did not talk to Barr or other former Trump administration officials. Norah.
O’DONNELL: Kris Van Cleave, thank you.
