Support NeoGAF

[Tovarisc]

President Donald Trump personally approved a false Fox News story claiming a murdered Democratic staffer—not Russian hackers—leaked DNC emails to WikiLeaks, a new lawsuit claims.

Private investigator Rod Wheeler sued the network in federal court on Tuesday, alleging it falsely quoted him in an article saying slain DNC staffer Seth Rich had contact with WikiLeaks. Wheeler accuses Fox News regular and pro-Trump money manager Ed Butowsky of coordinating between the network and the White House in an effort to frame Rich for the leaks and imply Democrats had a hand in his death. Fox News later retracted the article, saying it didn’t meet their “standards.”

The White House’s and Fox’s motivation to push the false story was to “lift the cloud” of Russia investigation, Wheeler claims in the lawsuit. (Trump fired FBI Director James Comey a week before the article was published.) “One of the big conclusions we need to draw from this is that the Russians did not hack our computer systems and ste[a]l emails and there was no collusion like trump with the Russians,” Butowsky allegedly wrote in emails to Fox News producers and anchors promoting the piece.

Wheeler’s lawsuit includes screenshots of text messages with Butowsky, including an exchange two days before the article was published in which Butowsky wrote: “president [Trump] just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It’s now all up to you. But don't feel the pressure.”

“A couple minutes ago I got a note that we have the full, uh, attention of the White House, on this,” Butowsky allegedly said in a voicemail that same day, according to the lawsuit. “And, tomorrow, let’s close this deal, whatever we’ve got to do. But you can feel free to say that the White House is onto this now.”

President Trump wasn’t the only administration figure involved in the story written by Fox News digital reporter Malia Zimmerman, Wheeler claims in his lawsuit.

“In the weeks and months leading up to the publication of Zimmerman’s May 16, 2017 article,” the lawsuit said, “Butowsky kept in regular contact with Trump Administration officials—including Mr. Spicer, Mr. Bannon and Director of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice, Sarah Flores—regarding his efforts relating to Seth Rich.”

Wheeler claims Zimmerman’s article fabricated quotes ascribed to him.

Wheeler claims he reported Zimmerman to Fox News top counsel Dianne Brandi and executive vice-president Jay Wallace. But even after the article was retracted, Fox made no mention of the claim the quotes were fabricated, nor did the network apologize to Wheeler. Zimmerman remains employed by Fox News.

Butowsky claims that Wheeler would eventually say to himself, per the conversation’s transcript, “holy shit look how many phone calls I’m getting congratulating me and thanking me for putting an end to the Russian bullshit.”

Additionally, Wheeler says Butowsky implored him to “stick to that script” in any upcoming television appearances promoting the false article, including one with Fox News’ most prominent Seth Rich conspiracy theorist Sean Hannity. Butowsky allegedly implored Wheeler to make sure he explicitly stated during media appearances “that the Russian hacking narrative of stealing the records from the DNC is officially dead.”

When Wheeler refused to confirm the claims of the article, and went as far as telling several outlets he was misquoted, a disappointed Butowsky allegedly later told him: “You have helped the left win this.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-...h-murder-hoax-lawsuit-claims?via=twitter_page

https://twitter.com/BrettArends/status/892373562484559875

 

[FunkyMunkey]

holy shit

 

[Gordon Shumway]

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1414095

 

[Host Samurai]

So collusion....

 

[Hollycat]

He's done some stupid stuff but this might be in the top 5 if true

 

[mnannola]

It's treason then

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

That poor fucking family, having to deal with this bullshit.

 

[ExVicis]

Goddamn Fox really is Trump Admin Media now? He's giving them orders on what to report and everything.

 

[Thaedolus]

Just when you think things can get more bananas they go full Dankey Kang

 

[oreomunsta]

Most Watched, Most Trusted, right? :V

 

[plagiarize]

American Dreams Week is off to a great start.

 

[Tovarisc]

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1414095

I try keyword search on OT.

Keyword search with, well, site search.

Keyword searth vie google aimed at GAF.

I still can't find these and posts dupes.

I'm fucking giving up.