Well, that didn’t take long.
In a grossly irresponsible segment on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Brian Ross told George Stephanopoulos that Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes may have joined the Tea Party last year.
@Talkmaster abc just threw out shooter may be linked to tea party and seemed to crack a smile about it go figure
— keith moss (@keithmoss44) July 20, 2012
Transcript via a tipster:
There is a Jim Holmes, of Aurora Co., page on the Colorado Tea Party site as well, talking about him joining the Tea Party last year. Now we don’t know if this is the same Jim Holmes, but it’s Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado.
Way to go, ABC! Solid reporting always includes the phrase “Now we don’t know.”
That’s right. You don’t know if it’s the same “Jim Holmes.” You don’t know how many guys named “Jim Holmes” live in Aurora. You don’t even know if James Holmes goes by the nickname Jim.
How many James Holmes are out there? Doesn't matter ABC only needs one listed to link it to Tea Party.
— Wittorical (@Wittorical) July 20, 2012
https://twitter.com/Booker_TW/status/226317947000463361
But hey, it was so much fun to use the Arizona shooting to smear the Right, why not toss out an unconfirmed Tea Party connection so the unhinged Left can run with it?
ABC scanned Colorado Tea Party sites for a James/Jim Holmes. Found a Jim Holmes and went on national TV with it. They are amazing scumbags.
— Drew (@FigDrewton) July 20, 2012
@ABC IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING…Jim Holmes/tea party w/o confirmation…shame on you…and who cares
— Jett Sheehy (@jett_stream) July 20, 2012
MMS is a total joke. ABC News Trying to link shooter to teaparty.
— Wally Zimolong (@WallyZimolong) July 20, 2012
Here’s the Ning network page Ross felt was sufficient evidence to suggest a link between the shooting suspect and the Tea Party.
I have found a Colorado Tea Party Patriots page for a "Jim Holmes " in Aurora, CO. Is this James Holmes? http://t.co/GPVrcwDT
— Edward Champion (@drmabuse) July 20, 2012
https://twitter.com/jeffemanuel/status/226297800814632960
A Ning page. That was all the confirmation ABC needed. And it’s all the twisted Left needed to begin pinning the shooting on conservatives.
https://twitter.com/thekruezer/status/226297682501722112
https://twitter.com/Hank_and_Gary/status/226296094802456576
And of course, anyone responsible for a bloodthirsty massacre isn’t just a Tea Party member; he’s also a Rush Limbaugh fan.
@lizzwinstead ABC just said they found a person by the same name who joined a Tea Party there. I would bet he is a Rush fan.
— Shar G (@hapkidogal) July 20, 2012
ABC is saying the Colorado shooter may have been in the TeaParty. Did Rush and his DarkNight conspiracy theory give him the idea?
— MushadaMama (@MushadaMama) July 20, 2012
James Holmes Tea Party terrorist. https://t.co/rfkSdEnP dig deeper to find he listens to Rush Limbaugh. Keep Watching folks.
— Xultar (@Xultar) July 20, 2012
The ghoulishly repulsive media impulse to politicize a tragedy like this is beyond shameful. And it’s likely just a small taste of what’s to come.
***
Update:
Quelle surprise — James Holmes has no affiliation with the Colorado Tea Party. ABC has walked back its earlier claim:
Editor’s Note: An earlier ABC News broadcast report suggested that a Jim Holmes of a Colorado Tea Party organization might be the suspect, but that report was incorrect. ABC News and Brian Ross apologize for the mistake, and for disseminating that information before it was properly vetted.
Tweet your correction & apology immediately, @BrianRoss.
— Cuffy (@CuffyMeh) July 20, 2012
Not good enough. VIDEO mea culpa on GMA for the same audience you misinformed, @BrianRoss.
— Cuffy (@CuffyMeh) July 20, 2012
Once again, the lapdog media has demonstrated its gleeful recklessness with the truth. Despite the fact that we’ve come to expect this kind of behavior, we are nevertheless ceaselessly amazed by the lows to which the media will stoop to push a failed agenda. Despicable.
Update:
Brian Ross also tweeted his apology:
Earlier I reported incorrectly that the shooting suspect might be tied to the Tea Party. I apologize for the mistake: http://t.co/AfpsiP14
— Brian Ross (@BrianRoss) July 20, 2012
