Note to Piers Morgan: Journalism isn't rocket science and making a few phone calls can go a long way.
Giddy about a Newtown search warrant that showed there was an NRA certificate found in the Lanza household, Morgan tweeted giddily:
I want to hear Wayne LaPierre explain what checks they made on Adam Lanza before sending him a @nra certificate. #Newtown
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 28, 2013
Yet, this is an abject lie.
Emily Miller of the Washington Times noted today in a piece responding to Morgan’s egregious and misleading tweets that:
In the search warrants of the Lanza’s mother’s house, it showed a receipt for a shooting range along with a NRA certificates for both Adam and Nancy Lanza. These are given when a person takes a course in gun safety or training by an NRA-certified instructor.
The police also list a handbook published by the NRA. The book covers topics include safely using a pistol safely, shooting fundamentals, cleaning, storage and transportation.
[…]
The certificate was made out to Nancy Lanza, according to LaPierre explain what checks they made on Adam Lanza before sending him a @NRA certificate. #Newtown
The NRA was forced to put out a statement clarifying for those in the media that people NRA certificates don’t indicate membership in the organization: “There is no record of a member relationship between Newtown killer Adam Lanza, nor between Nancy Lanza, A. Lanza or N. Lanza with the National Rifle Association. Reporting to the contrary is reckless, false and defamatory.”
With the latest development that the assault weapons ban amendment is ending in failure, it’s tragic to see alleged journalists like Morgan spew misinformation in order to smear an organization that is dedicated to defending civil rights, namely those protected by the Second Amendment.
