Fox News editor Ken LaCorte explained why he didn’t publish the Stormy Daniels-hush money story prior to the 2016 election to counter allegations made by New Yorker journo Jane Mayer that the network spiked it to protect Donald Trump:
This is an excellent explanation of why smart people don't trust a *word* @JaneMayerNYer writes. "I Stopped the Stormy Daniels Story at Fox News. Here’s Why." https://t.co/4fw3dVXBQJ
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 8, 2019
The entire article really is a must-read, but, in short, the story was in no way publishable:
It lacked: any mention of payments, a hush money contract or any corroborating evidence beyond the two secondhand accounts.
On top of that, Stormy Daniels herself had publicly denied the whole thing, a denial she would maintain for another year.
The story wasn’t close to being publishable, and my decision to hold it was a no-brainer. I didn’t do it to help Trump and never said nor implied otherwise. It was such an easy call that I never even informed my direct boss or anyone in management about it.
And Stormy Daniels went “radio silent” right before the election:
Still, our editors told Falzone to keep digging until, a week before the election, Stormy and her friends went radio silent.
Stormy was also speaking to multiple other outlets who also didn’t run the story:
This story is absolutely WILD. @JaneMayerNYer should be ashamed of herself. https://t.co/TRvfh8CAi4 pic.twitter.com/q2SYJbmpjI
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 8, 2019
And by “shocked” we mean, totally not shocked:
I for one am shocked that Jane Mayer ran with something like this. https://t.co/5ePUVo5dLS
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) March 8, 2019
How many more times does this have to happen?
Also why most of us don’t trust any HUGE story from a mainstream media outlet We now wait until at least 48 hours have passed. I knew the second this blew up there was more too it.
— Courtney Shadegg (@CShadegg) March 8, 2019
Jane Mayer, call your office:
Holy cow this just shreds Jane Mayer. She’d be fired for this if she were a young newspaper reporter https://t.co/rPfZXCfKFj
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) March 8, 2019
Jane Mayer has always struck me as a fairly sinister figure in the world of journalism: someone who employs the trappings of the form ("research," "quotes" etc.) to abuse its norms for deeply partisan purposes. This confirms it to me. https://t.co/gGNF273dag
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) March 8, 2019
We know why she gets away with it: because she tells stories that other people in the media desperately want to hear, and believe are true. It's almost like she learned the lesson of Stephen Glass: pander to your audience, but without straight-up fabulism, just corner-cutting.
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) March 8, 2019
She fired back, however, calling LaCorte’s complaint “unfounded”:
This complaint is unfounded. I interviewed LaCorte extensively, quoted him 4 times, included his assertion that Falcone's story "hadn't passed muster." Any claim I didn't tell his side is false. Falzone can't defend herself – she's under an NDA, but 3 sources corroborate her. https://t.co/YPswtXjnao
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 8, 2019
And the author of the original piece, Diana Falzone, is calling on Fox News to release her from her NDA so she can tell her side of the story:
New: Fox reporter Diana Falzone's lawyer Nancy Erica Smith has issued a statement demanding that Fox release her from her NDA so she can talk about getting the Stormy Daniels story before the 2016 election.
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 9, 2019
Nancy Erica Smith statement:
1. In light of the false and defamatory statements being made by Fox News’ agent Ken LaCorte and Fox News employee Howard Kurtz, Diana Falzone asks Fox News, and specifically Rupert Murdoch, to release her from her non-disclosure agreement on the— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 9, 2019
2. (statement from Falzone lawyer continued)
topic of her reporting in October of 2016 regarding Donald Trump paying hush money to Stormy Daniels, because the public has the right to the truth.— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 9, 2019
Sorry, please amend that: Former Fox reporter Diana Falzone – she is no longer working for Fox, and wants to be released from an NDA prohibiting her from speaking about her work there.
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 9, 2019
To be continued. . .
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