MSNBC columnist Eric Michael Garcia had a blockbuster report about Governor DeSantis.
The problem, however, is that the report was completely wrong.
Garcia misread dates, invalidating the entire report.
Bad Reporting
Garcia’s story claimed that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Governor Ron DeSantis had a meeting the “day before” Roe v. Wade was overturned in the Dobbs case.
The Dobbs decision was announced on June 24, 2022.
The meeting between Thomas and DeSantis took place on June 23, 2021, so he was only off by a year.
The governor’s deputy press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, caught the mistake and called out Garcia on Twitter.
Garcia immediately ate a plate of crow.
Garcia stated, “I am legitimately so sorry.
“I was not trying to mislead.
“I am legitimately embarrassed and humiliated.
“I never wanted to do anything malicious. I am so apologetic. I should have double-checked the dates.
“We are taking the article down. I cannot apologize enough. I should have double-checked triple-checked dates.”
We are taking the article down. I cannot apologize enough. I should have double-checked triple-checked dates.
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) October 28, 2022
He also sent a follow-up tweet…
The story is in the process of being retracted. I am just embarrassed as hell. Words cannot describe how mortified I am. I try to be honest in my work. I don't try to do gotcha journalism. I always hated that. I can never apologize enough.
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) October 28, 2022
The apology was great, but it did not cover the fact that Garcia was working a completely ridiculous angle by creating a narrative that would never exist in the real world.
This was pointed out by former press secretary and current rapid response director for DeSantis, Christina Pushaw…
And the implication is that Governor DeSantis, of all people, would try to pressure Clarence Thomas to change the outcome of a SCOTUS decision. Which is patently absurd to anyone who has followed Governor DeSantis or Clarence Thomas for any amount of time.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) October 28, 2022
What you are doing is worse than “gotcha” journalism, Mr. Garcia. In fact, it is not even journalism; it is fiction to undermine a specific person or party.
Source: Daily Caller
