It’s always cute when CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski thinks he’s got any legit journalistic credibility. Bless his heart, and all that jazz.
Earlier today, the Washington Free Beacon published a piece by Susan Crabtree about EPA “whistleblower” Kevin Chmielewski, who claims that he was fired after expressing concern about EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s excessive spending. As Crabtree reports, Chmielewski has raised some red flags of his own with EPA officials:
A former Trump campaign “body man” turned Environmental Protection Agency whistleblower repeatedly cited by Democrats has a long history of run-ins with law enforcement, including a warning from a Secret Service detail, debt problems and other red flags that could have sunk his mandatory background check, legal experts say.
…
Chmielewski, who recently sat down with House and Senate Democrats and ABC News, has said he was retaliated against and fired for taking issue with excessive first-class and other travel and office spending by Pruitt. His complaints formed the basis of a mid-April letter several Democrats sent to Trump citing “grave concerns” about Pruitt’s spending.
However, several administration officials and two people who worked with him on the campaign vehemently disagree about the reasons he was forced out of the EPA.
Administration officials said Chmielewski was asked to resign over a number of issues, including that his supervisors and other co-workers didn’t know where he was on many occasions even though they suspected he was doing advance work.
Crabtree was quite thorough in her reporting. But, well, Kaczynski wasn’t impressed:
Who is pitching this research on the EPA whistleblower is infinitely more interesting than this story itself https://t.co/2X8xiJv7ki pic.twitter.com/lkemLsAigK
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
Is it, Andrew?
.@KFILE it takes a 2-min search on the whistleblower's name in Maryland courts to pull up his long list of run-ins with law enforcement, including a DUI. Why are reporters averse to doing a quick search? Bc it doesn't fit the narrative? Don't you want the whole story? https://t.co/BThqFW8hXj
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) May 7, 2018
To be fair, expecting Kaczynski to put his money where his mouth is and practice actual journalism is a pretty tall order.
Hi Susan,
KFILE isn't a reporter as much as he's a professional troll. Mainly focused on finding stuff to snark on regarding conservative media.
— RBe (@RBPundit) May 7, 2018
Exactly.
Did anyone provide or point you to records?
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
Who are your sources, Andrew?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
I'm interested who is pushing back against this whistleblower by pitching oppo hits on him. Her tweet seems to indicate it wasn't research but is ambiguous and I'm curious if EPA is pitching this. pic.twitter.com/ePgM0ghfpF
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
I'm interested in the people behind all of the oppo hits you've done over the years too, Andrew. If that's how you want to frame it. Has anybody ever given you a tip on any of the people you've done stories on over the years? If so, who?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
yes, I again, find it more interesting if someone is pitching the Free Beacon dirt here than this story itself which has nothing do with his claims.
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
but if you're curious one story we've done out of something like 50+ on appointees/nominees was a tip.
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
Who sent the tip? Can I see your inbox to verify this claim?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
good conversation Stephen.
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
I don't appreciate you belittling my publication or demanding my colleague's sources, Andrew. She answered your claims when she was under no obligation to do so as reporters have never been required to reveal their sources. Nor should they have to. For you or anyone else.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
If you want that standard to change perhaps start disclosing all of your sources and then lobbying your colleagues to do the same. Then get back to me.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
Are you talking about people pointing me to the court records like the way you , er @CNNPolitics and Buzzfeed got the Trump dossier? Please don't lecture me on journalism sourcing and motives. As the whistleblower in ? has said: The truth, is the truth https://t.co/U96jXydkZu
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) May 7, 2018
I asked if EPA was involved in the story. You didn't answer and EPA has a history of providing Free Beacon records. I wasn't involved in either of the stories in question. https://t.co/qqEmjYN7Xw
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
I never talk about sourcing, never rule anyone in or out. Good rule 2 follow + other journalists obviously know that. You shld know that ur own @CNN editors/reporters (some I have worked with over the yrs) apparently care abt my reporting on this 'whistleblower' even if u don't https://t.co/HxQrymk82F
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) May 7, 2018
Here is the Free Beacon story I said I would find it more interesting who was providing research it than the actual story.https://t.co/2X8xiJv7ki pic.twitter.com/LTBoHErKig
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
The story notes the Pruitt whistleblower had a DUI, a tax lien, and speeding ticket for going 25+ mph over the speed limit. The news hook it would cause him problems getting a clearance. Story seems indicate EPA's involvement: pic.twitter.com/N1KXGPapd4
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
I find it more interesting if there's a campaign to go after the whistleblower's credibility here through EPA press shop than addressing some of the charge.
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
as @emorwee previously noted, Free Beacon has been shopped stories by the EPA that others passed on. Again, as my original point made clear. I find if press shop is pushing research on that is more interesting that the story – which was… fine. https://t.co/MGXbiIl1GR
— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) May 7, 2018
I look forward to CNN revealing all of its sources as it has a history of publishing newsworthy leaks from all sorts of government agencies (otherwise known as reporting). https://t.co/orSJWKYVlR
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
Don’t hold your breath.
He's demanding Susan tell him her sources. She's already said she didn't get a tip for the story and it instead came from her own research. He's ignoring that and insisting she got the story from the EPA. It's a dick thing to do and I don't like it.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 7, 2018
Maybe this is all just a big misunderstanding. Or maybe, Kaczynski’s just pissed at being shown up by someone who practices legitimate investigative journalism.
It's amusing to watch a guy who threatened to doxx a rando for making a GIF publicly attack @susancrabtree for having the audacity to do some investigation on a story of actual public importance. https://t.co/QiHLk207ss
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) May 7, 2018
No kidding.
Of course Andrew is more interested in HOW DARE SOMEONE DIG UP INFO ON THIS WHISTLEBLOWER I LIKE than the information actually revealed. Of course. https://t.co/rmEsZ5cKX5
— Actually, Quite a Dignified M’Fin Pickle (@sunnyright) May 7, 2018
It’s actually amazing how awful the CNN collective has become. They’re worse than expressed left-wing outlets. One of the few good things Jon Stewart did was point out how much of a laughing stock they were
— Actually, Quite a Dignified M’Fin Pickle (@sunnyright) May 7, 2018
"Who is your source on this?" guy from network who won't reveal sources or even editorial guidelines on two major botched Mueller stories. How weirdhttps://t.co/MftShgGcOd
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 7, 2018
One more thing to think about:
Speaking of CNN publishing leaks from government officials, the network still hasn't said a word about how it broadcast Clapper's intel leaks and his denials that he leaked, then gave him a TV contract. https://t.co/XD2zkaRSpP
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) May 7, 2018
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