December 10th, 2021 11:48 AM
Finally. It only took 666 days (insert your own joke about that specific number), but the hosts and journalists at Good Morning America have returned to Jussie Smollett and the hoax controversy surrounding him.
Before Friday, you have to go back to February 12, 2020 to find the last time GMA covered Smollett’s crumbling 2019 claims of a MAGA mob with a noose attacking him. On February 14, 2019, co-host Robin Roberts devoted almost 18 minutes to Smollett (and how “credible” he seemed) for an exclusive interview. Yet she mysteriously took Thursday and Friday off and wasn't there for a verdict.
Instead, guest host TJ Holmes alerted GMA viewers: “Jussie Smollett guilty. The Empire star convicted on five of six counts for lying to police and staging a hate crime against himself. Will the actor serve time behind bars?”
Reporter Alex Perez (who also covered the story the last time GMA mentioned in back in 2020), offered Friday’s 2 minute and 6 second report:
Prosecutors accused the former Empire actor of staging an anti-gay and racist attack on himself almost three years ago with the aid of two brothers who he alleged paid to assault him, douse him in bleach and leave a noose around his neck, seen here in body camera video after he called police. Officials grew suspicious after they say he refused to fully cooperate with the investigation. But Smollett has always denied orchestrating the attack.
All three network newscasts on Thursday night highlighted the breaking verdict. Perez offered a misleadingly worded analysis for ABC's World News Tonight: “That jury deliberating here at the Cook County courthouse for nine hours over the course of two days, delivering a split verdict just moments ago.”
Split verdict? Smollett was convicted of five out of six charges. That’s hardly “split.”
Though the reporting on Thursday night and Friday morning covered the claims now declared false, they didn't focus on how the whole effort was designed to show MAGA supporters as violent terrorists.
Here’s the final totals for the Smollett hoax trial. ABC allowed the least amount of coverage. From November 29 through the morning of December 10, that amounted to 4 minutes and 31 seconds. The CBS and NBC morning and evening shows did better with CBS totaling 12 minutes and 38 seconds and NBC at 12 minutes and 46 seconds.
ABC’s long-term attempt to bury their credulous initial coverage of Smollett was sponsored by Macy’s and Ford. Click on the link to let them know what you think.
A transcript of the segment is below. Click “expand” to read more.
Good Morning America
12/10/2021
7am teaseTJ HOLMES: Jussie Smollett guilty. The Empire star convicted on five of six counts for lying to police and staging a hate crime against himself. Will the actor serve time behind bars?
7:05 AM
HOLMES: We want to turn to Empire actor Jussie Smollett found guilty of filing a false police report claiming he was the victim of a hate crime back in 2019. Our Alex Perez joins us now from Chicago with these details. Alex, good morning to you.
ALEX PEREZ: Hey, good morning, T.J. Next month it'll be three years since this whole ordeal began. Smollett showed no reaction as the verdict was read. This morning, Jussie Smollett facing up to three years behind bars after being convicted on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to police about an alleged attack back in 2019.
DAN WEBB (Special prosecutor): The evidence was overwhelming that, in fact, Mr. Smollett had faked a hate crime and then lied to the police about it and then compounded his crimes by lying to the jury during the course of this trial and insulting their intelligence.
PEREZ: Prosecutors accused the former Empire actor of staging an anti-gay and racist attack on himself almost three years ago with the aid of two brothers who he alleged paid to assault him, douse him in bleach and leave a noose around his neck, seen here in body camera video after he called police. Officials grew suspicious after they say he refused to fully cooperate with the investigation. But Smollett has always denied orchestrating the attack.
JUSSIE SMOLLETT: I've been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I've been accused of.
PEREZ: The jury finding him guilty on all but one charge after just nine hours of deliberation.
NENYE UCHE (Defense attorney for Jussie Smollett): We're obviously very disappointed. We obviously respectfully disagree with the jury's verdict.
PEREZ: In several hours on the stand Smollett told the jury there was no hoax accusing the brothers of trying to extort $2 million from him, but later revealing the brothers never directly contacted him for the money. Now Smollett's defense vowing to appeal. And because Smollett has no previous criminal record he'll likely just face probation or community service rather than jail time. A sentencing date has not yet been set. George?
NewsBusters Reader,
The media have abandoned all pretense of objectivity to become a pro bono ad agency for the progressive movement, infusing left-wing talking points into every issue, from the pandemic to the “cultural revolution.”
“Truth in journalism,” once a reporter’s credo, is now a relic of a bygone era.
At MRC’s NewsBusters, we analyze the threat to democracy the media has become and expose the tools of their trade: deceit, bias, omission, and manipulation.
NewsBusters combats the liberal media with truth and facts, both kryptonite to the Left. Our successes are many but our challenge is great. It’s NewsBusters vs. the mainstream media Goliath. The great equalizer? You.
The support of our spirited and patriotic audience gives us the strength to take down giants. Please consider a donation today. $25 a month goes a long way in the fight for free and fair media.
(And now, thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, you can make up to a $300 gift (or $600, if married filing jointly) to the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of your choice and use it as a tax deduction on your 2021 taxes, even if you take the standard deduction on your returns.)
- The NewsBusters Team
Sign up for our NB Daily newsletter to receive the latest media bias analysis.
Ineptocracy
A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.