This NPR 'Reporter' Is a FOOL

This NPR 'Reporter' Is a FOOL

Rittenhouse judge bans MSNBC from courthouse after producer allegedly followed and tried to photograph jurors



The presiding judge in the Kyle Rittenhouse case banned MSNBC from the courthouse on Thursday after alleging that a producer who works for the cable outlet followed jurors exiting the courthouse and attempted to photograph them.

What are the details?

According to Kenosha News, Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder said in court Thursday morning that the suspect identified himself as "James J. Morrison, who claimed he was a producer with NBC News, employed by MSNBC."

"The jury in this case is being transported from a different location in a bus with windows covered so that they aren't exposed to anything on one side or the other," the judge explained, adding, "That's been done every day."

Morrison, according to Schroeder, had been following the sealed jury bus and ran a red light to keep pace, and that's when he was pulled over by police and questioned. Morrison allegedly stated that he was working under the supervision of a New York producer for MSNBC named Irene Byon.

The Kenosha Police Department confirmed some of the details of the allegations on Twitter late Thursday morning, noting that the individual suspected of photographing jurors was taken into custody and issued "several traffic-related citations." The department added that no photographs were obtained and that the investigation remains open.

What else?

In response to the allegation, NBC News appeared to confirm that the journalist was working for the network but claimed the individual in question was a "freelancer" and was not intentionally following the jury.

"Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation. While the traffic violation took place near the jury van, the freelancer never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations, and never photographed or intended to photograph them. We regret the incident and will fully cooperate with the authorities on any investigation," the network said in a statement.

Kenosha News originally reported that "Channel 5 Chicago (NBC) confirmed that an NBC producer was the party involved Thursday morning."

That line has since been removed from the outlet's report without any note or subsequent explanation.

Anything else?

Schroeder reportedly announced that nobody else from MSNBC News "will be permitted" in the Kenosha County Courthouse "for the duration of this trial."

"This is a very serious matter and I don't know what the ultimate truth of it is," he added. "But absolutely, it would go without much thinking that someone who is following a jury bus, that is a very serious, extremely serious matter, and will be referred to the proper authorities for further action."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Report: MSNBC contributor fired for failing to disclose he was a Biden speechwriter



MSNBC contributor and presidential historian Jon Meacham was reportedly fired as a paid contributor by MSNBC after failing to disclose that he was a speechwriter for former Vice President Joe Biden before appearing on TV to comment favorably on Biden's victory speech — which he apparently had a hand in writing.

The New York Times reported Monday that Meacham assisted Biden with the victory speech he delivered Saturday night from Wilmington, Delaware. According to the Times, Meacham, a longtime friend of Biden, has previously written drafts of speeches for him and edited others, including Biden's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year.

A Biden spokesman told the Times that the former vice president consulted many people about the content of his speech.

"President-elect Joe Biden wrote the speech he delivered to the American people on Saturday night, which laid out his vision for uniting and healing the nation," the spokesman said. "Given the significance of the speech, he consulted a number of important and diverse voices as part of his writing process, as he often does."

Meacham, who endorsed Biden in March and was a featured speaker at the Democratic convention over the summer, had been a paid contributor at MSNBC but as of Monday is no longer, the Times reports:

During the Trump years, Mr. Meacham had also been a regular presence on MSNBC and NBC News broadcasts. But as of Monday, he was not a paid contributor at the network, according to two people familiar with the decision. Mr. Meacham was expected to return to NBC as an unpaid guest and could resume his paid role next year, possibly after the inauguration, the people said. NBC declined to comment.

He even appeared on MSNBC on Saturday and was asked to give his thoughts on Biden's speech. He didn't mention that he wrote at least some of it.

Indeed, Mr. Meacham appeared on MSNBC before and after Mr. Biden's acceptance speech on Saturday. About half an hour after Mr. Biden had concluded, the anchor Brian Williams introduced Mr. Meacham by saying, "I'm not the historian that you are, and I don't have the Pulitzer that you do, but do you concur that is the way we are used to hearing from our presidents?"

"Absolutely," Mr. Meacham responded, without disclosing that he had been involved in the writing of the speech.

Meacham went on to characterize Biden's rhetoric as "poetic."

According to Mediaite, Meacham appeared on MSNBC an additional three times since Saturday without disclosing he was a speechwriter for Biden. During these appearances he was asked to analyze Biden's speech, remarking favorably on Biden.

"You know, Vice President Biden, I think, represents a kind of tonic for a toxic politics," Meacham told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace. "He's not perfect. There are vices, but there are a lot of virtues, too."