It seems the media — NBC News at least — has finally found a Hunter Biden story it can report on, because it’s been debunked. Both NBC News and MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin are reporting that a “dossier” on Hunter Biden that’s (supposedly) gone viral on the internet appears to be from a fake intelligence firm.
A 64-page document asserting an elaborate conspiracy theory involving Joe Biden's son and business in China, that was later disseminated by close associates of President Trump, appears to be the work of a fake "intelligence firm." (1/8) #NBCNewsThreads https://t.co/9HcZ6dyhCR
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 29, 2020
The document, which went viral on the right-wing internet a month before the purported leak of files from Hunter Biden's laptop, was said to be authored by Swiss security analyst Martin Aspen — who doesn't exist, according to an analysis by disinformation researchers. (2/8)
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 29, 2020
NBC Exclusive: The Hunter Biden 'dossier' that went viral on right-wing internet sites and was later disseminated by Trump's close associates appears to be from a fake 'intelligence firm'.
The author of the report, 'Martin Aspen', does not exist. https://t.co/XgIbSns9Mm
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 29, 2020
Kyle is hoping you’ll think he’s talking about the laptop. Because barely anyone ever heard about this “dossier”. https://t.co/zEgedYUUCp
— The Partyman (@PartymanRandy) October 30, 2020
Yes, this 64-page document has nothing to do with the laptop or its contents. But because it’s been found to be fake, it’s safe for the media to report on, and hopefully confuse people who’ve never heard a thing about it.
My question is…most in the mainstream never saw this…but the hard drive that the FBI has known about for more than a year has been elaborately ignored…why? Why report on conspiracy like this, when there are legitimate concerns to be reported on? https://t.co/e9LwfF8w0U
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) October 29, 2020
We know why.
This is an attempt to provide cover for the laptop.
— Plausible Deniability (@cheapoldbstd) October 30, 2020
This is Soviet style disinformation. Setup a straw man conspiracy theory that they can knock down to obscure the real evidence.
— Eric Grover @ (@Eric_Grover) October 30, 2020
That’s exactly what it is.
— Missing Laptop?? (@MissingLaptop) October 30, 2020
Obviously to mix the 2 issues into one in order to be able to dismiss it all as a conspiracy. Unfortunately many people won’t go beyond the surface and think that is the case.
— Caffeinated (@Disgruntled_vot) October 30, 2020
To sow confusion of course
— The Trend Watcher (@_Trend_Watcher) October 30, 2020
Because this plants the seeds of doubt about everything else to follow concerning Hunter and China.
— Deborah Fazackerley (@fazfilmmedia) October 30, 2020
This is how they muddy the waters
— Birdman (@ChipDavid2) October 30, 2020
"we covered it"
— HotTakes69 (@HotTakes69) October 29, 2020
They're part of the campaign.
— Hellion 2172 (@hellion2172) October 30, 2020
MSM reports on this to distract from the real story. They debunk a fake story and half of the country never finds out about the real one! #EnemyofThePeople
— Susan Marie (@SusanMa83969686) October 30, 2020
To make it seem like a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”
— Laura (@NonsenseEnd) October 30, 2020
They are trying to confuse people by conflating a fake document that no one has ever heard about with the real texts, emails, phone calls and live witnesses that are 100% legitimate and authentic.
— George Aston (@GeorgeAston11) October 30, 2020
This is an attempt to discredit the laptop by getting people to share the headline without reading
— Josh (@plzdontdoxmebro) October 30, 2020
Flood the field and confuse voters who aren't sure what to believe.
If you hadn't heard about the whole Hunter laptop thing and you heard it was just "Russian disinformation" then NBC comes out and reports about some fake Hunter connections you'd probably think it's all the same
— Jeff A (@Mithrandir48) October 30, 2020
Eyewash . Most people will think they are same story . ?
— Shiela ❤️???? ?? (@WebsterShiela) October 30, 2020
It’s called deflection from their guy.
— Jodi McPhee Giddings (@JodiGiddings) October 30, 2020
I've probably had more people read my tweets then have heard of let alone read this document. Juan Williams is going to bring it up though like this is what we are all talking about it though.
— An Honest Con Man (@AnHonest_ConMan) October 30, 2020
Bingo. No one has even heard of this document.
— Gambare (@d3navy) October 30, 2020
They are laying the foundation for everything being a conspiracy. Thank you for your unbiased and non partisan reporting of just the facts. Some of us actually read beyond the headlines and try to make informed decisions for ourselves. You help me do that.
— Kaye Keith (@kayekeith123) October 30, 2020
As someone tweeted above, now the media can say they covered the Hunter Biden story and it was all a hoax. NBC News is calling this an exclusive, but we wonder how many other mainstream media outlets will pick up this story? It’ll probably be one of Twitter’s trending news stories Friday.
* * *
Update:
NBC News’ story on the “viral” Hunter Biden document we’ve never heard of is going viral:
New from @oneunderscore__ and me and it’s a weird one.
Behind the fake account peddling a Hunter Biden dossierhttps://t.co/A7jEmEdH79
— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) October 29, 2020
These are the same reporters who want you to believe QAnon is more dangerous than Antifa. Now they want you to believe the FBI has a fake laptop and didn't really interview Tony Bobulinski. Brandy just needs to muddy the waters for a few more days and then they're all home free. https://t.co/VQ8DFQci5w
— Relax, I didn't vote for the guy you hate (@jtLOL) October 30, 2020
Dossier on Hunter Biden is the work of a fake "intelligence firm" called Typhoon Investigations, according to researchers and public documents. The author of the report, self-identified Swiss security analyst Martin Aspen, is a GANS-fabricated identity. https://t.co/eLUoKW4RK5
— Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) October 29, 2020
They're really hoping you're too dumb to realize that they are debunking a fake dossier that nobody normal ever heard of, rather than the actual laptop that exists and is evidence in an FBI investigation. https://t.co/U5rCe2pK1V
— Heimish Conservative (@HeimishCon) October 30, 2020
Incredibly and intentionally dishonest.
Not one serious source shared this "dossier". I hadn't even heard about it until this story. Yet NBC News tries to use it to discredit completely legitimate stories at mainstream conservative outlets. https://t.co/hfN8JQjSJu
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) October 30, 2020
Notice the clever step here: "If this random conspiracy that almost no one shared was false, then it discredits every other story"
The byline was completely predictable too. Few "reporters" misinform their audience more often than Collins. pic.twitter.com/XW1F4axnmk
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) October 30, 2020
Related:
NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell on NBC’s silence on the Hunter Biden story: ‘We cover what is reliably truthful’ https://t.co/wGJnWE9xYb
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 29, 2020
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