When we think of news we can trust CNN isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. But they are celebrating no matter what anyone thinks. CNN is celebrating an award over the 2019 controversial filming of the FBI raid and arrest of Roger Stone. He was one of President Donald Trump’s longtime friends and campaign associates.
The raid has a lot of people talking. Senator Lindsey Graham for one has sent a letter to FBI director Christopher Wray demanding answers to the questions about the raid on Roger Stone’s home and whether CNN was tipped off. They raided Stone’s home in conjunction with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and alleged collusion with the Trump Campaign. So who alerted CNN to be there in the early hours of his home?
This award for journalism was given to CNN by the White House Correspondents’ Association Tuesday June 9th. The WHCA judges said that CNN’s reporting of the arrest began a month earlier with a clue about a court scheduling anomaly. This culminated early in the morning of January 25, 2019 when a CNN producer and photojournalist, staked outside of Stone’s home in Ft. Lauderdale, and captured the 5 a.m. no-knock by the FBI of the former confidant of President Donald Trump.
Most people are questioning the merited praise over CNN’s reporting of the whole incident after speculation that they were tipped off about the arrest by someone within the government trying to damage the President. President Trump even tweeted January 25, 2019 “Who alerted CNN to be there?”
CNN’s producer denied the allegations and explained it was a reporter’s “instinct” based on unusual activity reported from the Washington D.C grand jury. CNN Contributors, such as David Gergen, have even gone as far as talking about Stone being a “dandy” and getting raped in prison when speaking about the potential of Stone going to prison.
“Not only was CNN tipped off in advance of my arrest, allowed to video it from 25 feet away while the street was cleared, clearly had a draft copy of my indictment while it was still sealed, but now both Jake Tapper and David Gergen have salivated over the prospect that I could be raped in prison. These people are demons.” Stone said in a statement to The Daily Caller.
Stone was later convicted and sentenced to more than three years in prison over charges arising from the Mueller investigation into Russian election interference and alleged collusion. His request for a new trial was denied after allegations that the jury foreman was biased against him and the president.
Tucker Carlson on his Fox News show spoke with Roger Stone since his conviction and called it the “most corrupt political criminal justice proceeding” he had ever seen. In response Roger Stone stated he wasn’t prosecuted because he was covering anything up for the President, he was prosecuted because he refused to bear false witness against the President.
All CNN did was accept a tip from the FBI to film the SWAT raid of Roger Stone and his deaf wife in the early hours of the morning for maximum media impact. For a man who neither posed a threat to society or law enforcement, a door knock would’ve been sufficient. Interesting too how they were the only news agency notified in advance for that unnecessary scene.
Doesn’t seem like anything that deserves a special award…
