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)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

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. 

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. This is my Congressslime. He is a complete fuckwit. He was, for many years, the Rush Limbaugh of local Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) radio. For him to say, “I don’t know what to believe anymore,” is the apex of irony and hypocrisy. What a fucking turd…

  2. Avatar for j.dave j.dave says:

    Not sure what to believe because so many media reports have been updated and corrected? Really?

    Here’s a tip for you:

    If the report comes from someone who actually makes it a practice to issue immediate updates or corrections when necessary …

    That’s what to believe.

  3. “some news outlets have had to issue corrections on some of their coverage of the Russia probe”

    Which is a problem only because his constituents prefer to watch the one that consistently publishes falsehoods and never corrects itself.

  4. Welcome to my world, congressperson. I’ve had to listen Sarah the Huckster for almost a year now.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

128 more replies

Participants

Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for meri Avatar for clunkertruck Avatar for micaiah Avatar for cervantes Avatar for rollinnolan Avatar for psudawnc Avatar for deputydawg Avatar for esva Avatar for keninmn Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tena Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for maricaibo Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for j.dave Avatar for kathya Avatar for brian512 Avatar for greysea Avatar for ncgirl741 Avatar for edys Avatar for tindalos Avatar for drtv Avatar for justruss

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: