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Fox News settles suit with parents of Seth Rich for promoting heinous conspiracy theory
Fox News announced Tuesday that it had reached a settlement over one of the most heinous stories of the Trump era. The move ends litigation by Joel and Mary Rich, parents of Seth Rich, the 27-year-old Democratic National Committee staffer slain on a D.C. street in July 2016. Conspiracy theorists posited that Rich’s killing was linked to the spilling of DNC emails to WikiLeaks during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
Though the idea was outlandish on its face, Fox News embraced it in May 2017, publishing a story under the byline of Malia Zimmerman with the headline: “Seth Rich, slain DNC staffer, had contact with WikiLeaks, say multiple sources.” Prime-time opinion host Sean Hannity promoted the story to his audience of millions. “If this is true and Seth Rich gave WikiLeaks the DNC emails which ultimately led to the firing — remember Debbie Wasserman Schultz on the eve of the DNC convention? — this blows the whole Russia collusion narrative completely out of the water,” Hannity said. Another reckless blast came soon after: “Still so many questions, this is getting more mysterious by the day, surrounding the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich. One thing I will tell you, my opinion, strongly, guess what: It wasn’t a robbery. Was he talking to WikiLeaks? We’ll investigate. And if he did, does this blow the Russian collusion narrative out of the water?” Hannity finally dropped the theorizing “out of respect for the family’s wishes.”
Though Fox News retracted the story, it had an impact on Rich’s parents, as recounted in a March 2018 complaint in a New York federal court. “They published, republished, and publicized the sham story — which they knew would be covered again and again, and republished, here and around the world — painting Joel and Mary’s son as a criminal and a traitor to the United States,” read the lawsuit. The complaint sought damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges. . .
Through the retraction and the Rich family lawsuit, Zimmerman, the sole byline on the conspiracy story, remained employed at Fox News, though her contributions dried up in September 2017. She pursued the Seth Rich “story” with the assistance of a financial adviser and private investigator — the ins and outs of that fiasco furnish a narrative all its own. Asked Tuesday about Zimmerman’s status, Fox News responded that she is no longer with the network.
Though the idea was outlandish on its face, Fox News embraced it in May 2017, publishing a story under the byline of Malia Zimmerman with the headline: “Seth Rich, slain DNC staffer, had contact with WikiLeaks, say multiple sources.” Prime-time opinion host Sean Hannity promoted the story to his audience of millions. “If this is true and Seth Rich gave WikiLeaks the DNC emails which ultimately led to the firing — remember Debbie Wasserman Schultz on the eve of the DNC convention? — this blows the whole Russia collusion narrative completely out of the water,” Hannity said. Another reckless blast came soon after: “Still so many questions, this is getting more mysterious by the day, surrounding the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich. One thing I will tell you, my opinion, strongly, guess what: It wasn’t a robbery. Was he talking to WikiLeaks? We’ll investigate. And if he did, does this blow the Russian collusion narrative out of the water?” Hannity finally dropped the theorizing “out of respect for the family’s wishes.”
Though Fox News retracted the story, it had an impact on Rich’s parents, as recounted in a March 2018 complaint in a New York federal court. “They published, republished, and publicized the sham story — which they knew would be covered again and again, and republished, here and around the world — painting Joel and Mary’s son as a criminal and a traitor to the United States,” read the lawsuit. The complaint sought damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges. . .
Through the retraction and the Rich family lawsuit, Zimmerman, the sole byline on the conspiracy story, remained employed at Fox News, though her contributions dried up in September 2017. She pursued the Seth Rich “story” with the assistance of a financial adviser and private investigator — the ins and outs of that fiasco furnish a narrative all its own. Asked Tuesday about Zimmerman’s status, Fox News responded that she is no longer with the network.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/24/fox-news-settles-seth-rich-lawsuit-conspiracy-theory/
Fing ghouls.
11 replies
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