New emails have surfaced with shocking evidence that shows how far the mainstream media has fallen. The left-wing media has been slowly falling apart without Donald Trump in office to keep their readers engaged, and their latest attack on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shows their desperation.
After CBS attempted to smear Governor DeSantis, newly released emails show just how corrupt they really are.
Lying Media
CBS 60 Minutes recently came out with a fake story about a “pay to play” vaccine scheme between Governor DeSantis and the Publix supermarket chain. The left-wing news outlet tried to claim that donations from Publix to DeSantis’ campaign were made as part of a shady deal to obtain the vaccine for their pharmacies.
A reporter from CBS tried to add to the hit piece through questioning DeSantis at a press conference, but he wouldn’t take the bait. Instead, the news outlet decided to selectively edit his answer to further their narrative.
Conservative comedian Steven Crowder pointed out this deception in a recent segment on his YouTube show. In this clip, Crowder shows the full response from DeSantis side-by-side with the deceptive edit that CBS published:
Governor DeSantis called CBS out for being “smear merchants” in a recent press conference:
After CBS was called out for their lies by DeSantis and many others, the news outlet attempted to defend themselves with more lies.
“When Florida state data revealed people of color were vaccinated at a much lower rate than their wealthier neighbors, ‘60 Minutes’ reported the facts surrounding the vaccine’s rollout, which is controlled by the governor,” a CBS News spokesperson said. “We requested and conducted interviews with dozens of sources and authorities involved. We requested an interview with Gov. Ron DeSantis, he declined; we spoke to State Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz twice, but he declined to be interviewed on camera for our story until well after our deadline. The idea we ignored their perspective is untrue.”
“For over 50 years, the facts reported by 60 MINUTES have often stirred debate and prompted strong reactions,” the spokesperson added. “Our story Sunday night speaks for itself.”
Even Democrats are calling CBS out for their lack of journalistic integrity.
“I did speak with @60Minutes. Never said I didn’t. They were very nice, but I told them that the @publix story was ‘bullshit’. Walked them through the whole process. The fact that I didn’t sit down on ‘camera’ because I am responding to a 100 year emergency doesn’t change the truth,” Jared Moskowitz, the Democrat who runs Florida’s emergency management agency, tweeted.
I did speak with @60Minutes. Never said I didn’t. They were very nice, but I told them that the @publix story was “bullshit”. Walked them through the whole process.The fact that I didn’t sit down on “camera” because I am responding to a 100 year emergency doesn’t change the truth https://t.co/G7QNsV42V5
— Jared MASKowitz 😷 (@JaredEMoskowitz) April 6, 2021
CNN’s “Reliable Sources” newsletter criticized CBS’ story, writing:
— Tom Jones says “60 Minutes” missed “the mark” in its story about Florida’s vaccine rollout. Jones pointed out that the program suggested a pay-to-play scheme between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Publix, but failed to provide the evidence. “There was really no there there…” (Poynter)
— Ben Smith [New York Times media columnist] on CBS standing by the story: “Broadcast TV remains worse than anyone else at just quickly admitting when they screwed up…” (Twitter)
The Back-and-Forth
Emails obtained by Fox News show the questionable ethics of the CBS 60 Minutes team in their treatment of Governor DeSantis.
NewsBusters reports: “On March 31, the Wednesday before the show, 60 Minutes associate producer Emily Gordon sent a list of questions to DeSantis staffer Meredith Beatrice with a deadline set for Thursday at 5 p.m. Beatrice asked for more time. The next morning, the segment’s top producer Oriana Zill de Granados confirmed to Beatrice that the report on DeSantis would air on Sunday and wrote: ‘Please send us your responses when you are able.'”
In response, Beatrice suggested that CBS interview Jared Moskowitz, who told the outlet that he was available for either an in-studio or Skype interview that day, or on Friday, two days before the show aired.
Oriana Zill de Granados, the top producer for 60 Minutes, replied that they had already requested an on-the-record interview with Moskowitz “repeatedly” since February, and claimed that the Democrat had not responded to their messages since the middle of March.
DeSantis’ office once again replied that it was “important” that CBS interview both Moskowitz and Palm Beach County Mayor David Kerner.
“Thank you for your input. Unfortunately, the deadline has passed,” Zill de Granados replied to Beatrice on Thursday afternoon. “As you may know, the Covid pandemic makes our interview protocol much more complicated and time-consuming due to new distancing and testing requirements for correspondents and camera crews.”
This is the confusing part. Even with COVID concerns, why is the deadline for a Sunday show on Thursday afternoon? Even more confusing is the fact that the 60 Minutes deadline did not apply to Florida State Representative Omari Hardy, a critic of DeSantis, who was interviewed remotely.
DeSantis’ office submitted their responses to CBS’ questions on Friday, two days before the show aired, but one day after the arbitrary deadline set by CBS. Of course, the responses were not included in the show.