WaPo fact checker gives Trump's lies about Joe Scarborough 4 Pinocchios, wishes more could be given

[highplainsdem]

This is from May 12, may have been posted then.

But I wanted to post it today just in case, since Trump is tweeting this smear about Scarborough again this morning.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/12/trumps-vicious-claim-that-joe-scarborough-might-have-murdered-an-aide/

The Fort Walton Beach police report from Aug. 6, 2001, noted that the medical examiner had determined that Klausutis died as a result of an acute subdural hematoma. The police report cited a letter from Berkland, stating that the injury was the result of trauma from a fall as she lost consciousness from “a probable cardiac arrhythmia secondary to valvular heart disease.” The day before she was found dead, Klausutis told a colleague she was not feeling well, according to the police report. She also told a mail carrier she was not feeling well.

Trump in his tweet asked why Scarborough had left Congress so “quickly and quietly,” implying a connection between Klausutis’s death and Scarborough’s resignation. In fact, the death occurred almost two months after Scarborough announced his resignation. Klausutis was looking for a new job when she died, and Scarborough was in Washington.

In a previous tweet from April 30, Trump said, “Then you have Psycho Joe ‘What Ever Happened To Your Girlfriend?’ Scarborough, another of the low I.Q. individuals!”

No one alleges, and no evidence shows, that Scarborough was romantically involved with Klausutis, who was married.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The Pinocchio Test

Four Pinocchios. We wish we had more to give.

[Tipperary]

1. I have seen that same smear here quite often.

Fairly recently even. Go figure.

[exboyfil]

3. And it was wrong then as well

But the difference is the those on this board, to the best of our knowledge, don't hold high executive or legislative positions.

[PatSeg]

5. I have seen it here many times

over the years. Democrats need to be careful what kind of mean-spirited, unverified stories they repeat.

[Tipperary]

6. I agree.

I have never been a fan of that show, but it is stupid to make things up about people simply because we do not like them. That is what rump does.

[PatSeg]

7. Yes

We really can strive to be better than them.

[winstars]

11. He announced his resignation 2 months prior to her death???... I had not heard that before...

Its a pretty important fact that I personally had forgotten or had not seen it here on DU in the many many many negative posts written about MJ prior to his turning against tRump...

[exboyfil]

2. Seems actionable to me

I wish our libel laws were adjusted to make public figures more accountable for what they say. It is one thing for Cliff to say something on a bar stool, it is another for the individual who has access to all our intelligence and a good chunk of our DOJ findings to make such a statement. His very status implies knowledge.

[LakeArenal]

4. Don't care about Scarborough

Sick of spending tax dollars on stupid investigations and Dumps golfing.

[sop]

8. "What a cruel irony: the monster lie that got Trump elected was that he alone could be trusted

to tell the truth."

[Doodley]

9. If Pres. Obama told just one of Trump's lies, he would be under relentless pressure to resign.

[House of Roberts]

10. Who prevents them from adding the fifth Pinocchio?

They could call it the 'Full Trump' designation. To get it you have to lie as egregiously as Trump.

[Cha]

12. Kick..

TY, hpd

[oasis]

13. Ditch the tag, "Pinocchio" let's start calling outrageous lies, "Donalds".