Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

ABC Suspends Brian Ross Over Erroneous Flynn Story

ABC Suspends Brian Ross Over Erroneous Flynn Story

After the news that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had pled guilty on Friday to lying to the FBI, the media was scrambling to figure out exactly what Flynn's next move might entail.


ABC News soon broke a story about what was to come, and made huge waves in the process, as the story was shared by multiple news outlets and even caused a drop in the stock market.

During a live news segment, ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross reported that Flynn was prepared to testify that, during the campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump had instructed him to make contact with Russian officials, according to a close confidant.

Needless to say, it was a huge news story in regards to the probe into Russia's interference with the 2016 election, as well as Trump's knowledge of the interference.

For a moment, an impeachment of Trump seemed like a done deal.

There was only one problem, however: the story wasn't exactly accurate.

ABC initially issued a correction later in the day, saying:

During a live Special Report, ABC News reported that a confidant of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said Flynn was prepared to testify that then-candidate Donald Trump instructed him to contact Russian officials during the campaign. That source later clarified that during the campaign, Trump assigned Flynn and a small circle of other senior advisers to find ways to repair relations with Russia and other hot spots. It was shortly after the election, that President-elect Trump directed Flynn to contact Russian officials on topics that included working jointly against ISIS.

The distinction of when Trump told Flynn to contact the Russians makes all the difference, and people weren't happy about it:

The backlash then sparked ABC News to apologize for their "serious error" on Saturday, leading to a four-week suspension without pay for Ross, effective immediately:

The statement read:

We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday. The reporting conveyed by Brian Ross during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process. As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online.

It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience –- these are our core principles. We fell far short of that yesterday. Effective immediately, Brian Ross will be suspended for four weeks without pay.

The decision must have been made sometime later on Saturday, as Ross was on hand for Good Morning America to issue a correction from the previous day's story:

Many in the news media were baffled by ABC's delayed reaction:

And some journalists felt the need to stick up for Ross, who seemed to be playing the part of the scapegoat for ABC:

There were those that cried foul over a double-standard:

And for others, the suspension doesn't seem like that harsh of a punishment:

In the end, Ross agreed with the suspension, saying in a tweet: "My job is to hold people accountable and that's why I agree with being held accountable myself."

But for the Trump trolls, it's just another rallying cry in the fight against "fake news":

And they should know:

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

H/T: Twitter, ABC News, CNN Money

More from People

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less