GOP Rep. Laments: ‘I Don’t Know What To Believe Anymore’ On Russia Stories

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 17: Rep. Jason Lewis, R-Minn., speaks during the House GOP leadership news conference following the House Republican Congerence meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
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Rep. Jason Lewis (R-MN) on Friday said he wasn’t sure if he believes reports that President Donald Trump tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller this summer because some news outlets have had to issue corrections on some of their coverage of the Russia probe.

“I don’t know,” he said during an interview with Brianna Keilar on CNN Friday. “There have been so many stories on this particular quote, unquote Russia investigation, I don’t know what to believe anymore. We’ll see.”

Keilar pushed back, saying the story, first reported by the New York Times, had been confirmed by multiple news outlets, including Fox News.

“I’m inclined to believe those sources, but by the same token, a number of corrections brought forth by members of the mainstream media on the Russian story already, every network, every newspaper had to issue corrections,” he said. “I just think that there is a zealousness out there, people want to be the first to get a story out or drive the nail home and they don’t use sometimes good journalism to get that done.”

He complained about the use of anonymous sources by news outlets, but offered that he “understand(s) the journalistic view of it, you need the sources to get the breaks.”

“We can use more discretion in covering this, you bet,” he said.

According to the Times’ story and additional reporting from CNN and The Washington Post, Trump tried to fire Mueller in June, but he dialed back after White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit over the move.

Correction: This post originally identified the CNN host as Kate Bolduan. Brianna Keilar was hosting the program. We regret the error. 

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