We’ve already given you NBC News’ “fact-check” of Sen. Josh Hawley’s accusation that President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, has been lenient in sentencing child porn offenders, pretty much letting them “off the hook.” NBC’s fact-checkers noted that “it is not a radical view” that some sex offenders involving children have nonsexual motivations.
Now ABC News is up to bat with its “fact-check,” and they’ve really got Hawley in a corner now. They did some digging and found out that Hawley had previously voted to confirm judges who’ve also let sex offenders off easy … which just goes to confirm what Hawley said. ABC News’ Devin Dwyer concludes that these minimum or shorter sentences for child porn are “mainstream.”
Fact check: Sen Hawley's attack on KBJ child porn sentences lacks critical context, including fact that the senator has voted to confirm at least 3 fed judges who also engaged in same ‘mainstream’ practice. @SLandP @kateashaw1 @RachelBarkow @ABCPolitics https://t.co/8iVEQfYihK
— Devin Dwyer (@devindwyer) March 21, 2022
Ah, “critical context.” Let’s hear it:
While court records show that Jackson did impose lighter sentences than federal guidelines suggested, Hawley’s insinuation neglects critical context, including the fact that the senator himself has voted to confirm at least three federal judges who also engaged in the same practice.
…
“If and when we properly contextualize Judge Jackson’s sentencing record in federal child porn cases, it looks pretty mainstream,” wrote Doug Berman, a leading expert on sentencing law and policy at The Ohio State University School of Law.
So court records show just what Hawley said they showed. Hawley’s press secretary sent this out Monday:
The White House and their Narrative Checkers in the mainstream media have spent the last few days desperately trying to convince you that Judge Jackson hasn't been lenient on pedophiles. She has been.
Read the facts for yourself –> pic.twitter.com/NJRXeevXUi
— Abigail Marone 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) March 21, 2022
Yeah, but that’s mainstream.
That’s a lot of words to say what he said was true.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) March 21, 2022
This just confirms that it’s all correct……
— FeedJake14 (@FeedJake14) March 21, 2022
Why should what YOU think is “critical context” play any role in a fact check?
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) March 21, 2022
“Fact check” pic.twitter.com/HJJ4DbRJIG
— Steven 🇺🇸🇮🇹🇻🇦 (@SFlipp) March 21, 2022
Spin, spin, spin
— Paul Kelsey (@pkelsey530) March 21, 2022
So it’s true what she did then?
— The Arctic Analytical Center (@ThePoliteViking) March 21, 2022
“…court records show that Jackson did impose lighter sentences than federal guidelines suggested…”
That’s where you should have stopped. Hack.
— Andrew Wagner (@andrewwagner) March 21, 2022
How is this a "fact check"? "It's true but he's an asshole" is not a fact check.
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) March 21, 2022
Providing “critical context” is not “fact checking”
Also, fact checking is the lowest form of journalism. Learn to code.
— iwhagl (@jqr2p) March 21, 2022
Thank you for confirming his assertion is correct.
— Illinois Kevin (@KevinIllinois) March 21, 2022
Ohh..
Interesting how your context matters, and you get to decide it’s critical.
— Yes, Louder. LOUDER!! (@CoKiloMick) March 21, 2022
So it’s true? Why make the same mistake again?
— Gary Palmer (@GPalmer860) March 21, 2022
I don't understand what the point of "adding context" to this is? If any of the judges you mentioned were up for supreme court nomination then they should also be demonized for letting these offenders off easy. What's the problem here?
— Jing Jackson Wang (@JingJacksonWang) March 21, 2022
The problem here, as Dwyer puts it, is that Jackson’s confirmation hearings kick off with “a flurry of misleading allegations” by Hawley … even though his fact-check just said that Hawley was right.
Related:
NBC News’ fact-check of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s ‘twisted’ record notes it’s ‘not a radical view’ that some child-sex offenders may have nonsexual motivations https://t.co/zZoFhu4sdb
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 21, 2022
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