Fact checkers might need a different ruling -- something snappy, like "True But But But."
On Tuesday, Snopes.com pounced on the Washington Free Beacon and other conservative outlets for reporting something true -- that Biden's Department of Health and Human Services announced a grant program that included "safe smoking kits" which could include glass pipes for crack cocaine. Dan MacGuill, who could go by Dan MacShill, employed the True But method:
It’s true that the grant description required the provision of harm reduction supplies, and listed “safe smoking kits” as an example — an established component of harm reduction strategy — but in reality, those kits constituted just one of several sub-components of an even longer list of requirements for grant recipients. In other words, while outraged media coverage focused almost exclusively on “crack pipes,” this was actually only a very small part of the program.
What a face plant! "Actually only a small part of the program" doesn't make it "Mostly False." It's true, but....you don't like the way it looks.
So MacGuill complained "Collectively, these articles and social media posts gave readers a grossly misleading and reductive presentation of what was a real substance abuse harm reduction grant." Oh, it's a real "harm reduction" grant...that enables drug abuse with taxpayer money.
Reporter Patrick Hauf (full disclosure, once an intern for MRCTV) confirmed the story:
A spokesman for the agency told the Washington Free Beacon that these kits will provide pipes for users to smoke crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and "any illicit substance."
HHS said the kits aim to reduce the risk of infection when smoking substances with glass pipes, which can lead to infections through cuts and sores.
Snopes also claimed it was inaccurate for the spicy Free Beacon headline -- "Biden Admin To Fund Crack Pipe Distribution To Advance ‘Racial Equity’ -- was inaccurate. Please enjoy McGuill playing a one-person game of Twister in his embarrassing objection:
Secondly, the provision of safer smoking supplies did not have as its purpose advancing the cause of racial equity. Rather, its purpose was, quite logically, to reduce harm and infection among existing drug users. However, the grant description did state that priority would be given to applicants who serve communities that are historically underserved. In other words, the grant’s terms encouraged recipients to advance racial equity while working for harm reduction, not the other way round — a crucial distinction which many outlets got wrong.
"Crucial distinction" could be another possible "truth rating" for "fact checkers" who desperately want to rule that conservative spin is "False." Nobody's buying it, Dan MacShill!
Due to the bad publicity from conservative outlets, HHS issued a statement to Snopes on Wednesday that "safe smoking kits" would not include glass pipes, allowing Snopes to save face and change its silly "Mostly False" ruling to "Outdated."
"Independent fact checkers" once again look like very partisan actors that can't handle the truth -- when it makes Democrats look terrible....and offers an occasion for Hunter Biden jokes.
