We’ve ragged on Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple many times around here, and with good reason.
But occasionally, he’s not wrong, and we’ve given him his props.
And he deserves props for this:
What evidence does the Justice Department have to justify the raid on James O'Keefe's home. It had better be good. https://t.co/mHzY9pL72F
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) November 16, 2021
Recall that earlier this month, the FBI and SDNY raided James O’Keefe’s home, as well as the homes of two O’Keefe associates, ostensibly regarding an investigation into the supposed theft of Ashley Biden’s diary.
FBI and Southern District of New York Raid Project Veritas Journalists’ Homes pic.twitter.com/IUWaYAinmT
— Eric Spracklen🇺🇸 (@EricSpracklen) November 5, 2021
As a good MSMer, one might expect Wemple to just smile and nod along with this. But he isn’t. He is actually delving into the timeline of events in the investigation and considering the not-so-remote possibility that the DOJ’s intentions in investigating O’Keefe might not be so noble.
“I’ve never said anything positive about Project Veritas in my entire life,” says [Trevor Timm, the executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation]. “That shouldn’t matter here.” The key thing, he says, is whether the Justice Department has probable-cause evidence that Project Veritas was involved in criminality. If they do, says Timm, “I don’t think journalists should have big concerns.” The point being: The Justice Department had better have some goods.
There’s certainly no love lost between James O’Keefe and the media. But this is genuinely refreshing.
Of course, that’s not how many O’Keefe critics see it:
The replies are mostly "it was James O'Keefe, so of course he deserved it".
Not the folks you want in charge of a free society. https://t.co/JlRKQoQm4q
— Fuzzy Chimp 🇺🇸 (@fuzzychimpcom) November 17, 2021
They’re definitely not happy with Wemple right now.
Keep in mind, he is referring to this James O'Keefe…https://t.co/tGVv1P3w9uhttps://t.co/sLXOLRgTOAhttps://t.co/d6WzMFCWAZ https://t.co/BOjNLwBbvp
— Jeff Mayers (@TimeLordJeff) November 17, 2021
In order to adhere to unofficial national policy since at least 1987 that reality mustn’t defend ridiculous conservatives, we have collectively agreed to pretend we have no idea how search warrants are issued and executed. https://t.co/Ci94u1pO2U
— Joe Rossi (@JoeLATrib) November 17, 2021
Bizarre to me that Wemple accepts a single syllable from O'Keefe as the truth. https://t.co/BdfSYBZebW
— Tom Watson (@tomwatson) November 17, 2021
Wtf is this guy up to?
Durham indicts some guy- Vindication for Mr. Trump! No pp tape!
FBI raids Project Veritas- DOJ Overreach! https://t.co/RUJJP6jGul
— Shirley (@le2doux) November 17, 2021
I'm sure @ErikWemple has a slight understanding of how search warrants are issued and he's just writing a bullshit filled column because he's another right wing grifter who wants to be famous.
If this is not the case then he should stop showing how stupid he really is. https://t.co/8P2jIFjAek
— Crazy Eyed Goat (@CrazyEyedGoat) November 17, 2021
Please. Erik Wemple is many things, but a “right wing grifter” he is not.
Lots of valid criticisms, but @ErikWemple continues to be one of the few in corporate media willing to challenge liberal pieties. He has done great work on the media's role in the Steele Dossier fraud, and now this great article on the dangers of FBI's targeting of James O'Keefe: https://t.co/ZsqyNZy4jA
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 17, 2021
So good for Wemple. Really.
Though Wemple’s conclusion raises an important question: what happens if the evidence fails to deliver the goods?
Or what?
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) November 17, 2021
And when it's clear they had none, what will you do? https://t.co/lFBdLjK2Ar
— Yore Friend Whig (@RandomWhig) November 17, 2021
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