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Well, this would be quite a development, wouldn't it?
A top Dominican law enforcement official said Friday that a local lawyer has reported being paid by someone claiming to work for the conservative Web site the Daily Caller to find prostitutes who would lie and say they had sex for money with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.).
The local lawyer told Dominican investigators that a foreign man, who identified himself as "Carlos," had offered him $5,000 to find and pay women in the Caribbean nation willing to make the claims about Menendez, according to Jose Antonio Polanco, district attorney for the La Romana region, where the investigation is being conducted.
To briefly recap for those who haven't been following this story, the Daily Caller reported shortly before the 2012 elections that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) allegedly paid for sex in the Dominican Republic. The article appeared to be based on largely non-existent evidence, and it wasn't long before the allegations unraveled completely -- three Dominican escorts recently admitted they were paid to lie.
It has not been clear who, exactly, paid the escorts for the falsehoods, but according to Dominican lawyer Melanio Figueroa, it was the Daily Caller itself financing -- and then publishing -- the deliberate falsehoods.
If true, it would be a genuine media scandal from which there is no recovery. It's difficult to even imagine a more serious breach of journalistic ethics and standards than a news outlet publishing a bogus smear that the outlet itself paid prostitutes to manufacture. Menendez would probably even have a credible libel case to pursue.
But I'd recommend some caution here.
The Daily Caller's denial included a legitimate point.
The Daily Caller said: "At no point did any money change hands between The Daily Caller and any sources or individuals connected with this investigation, nor did anyone named Carlos travel to the Dominican Republic on behalf of The Daily Caller. As recently as two weeks ago, Figueroa was on record with another news outlet as saying the women he represented were telling the truth about their initial allegations against Senator Mendendez."
Tucker Carlson, who runs the Web site, said in a statement provided through his spokesman that the Daily Caller "never paid anyone, was never asked to pay anyone and of course never would pay anyone for this story."
To believe the allegations against the Daily Caller, you'd need to find Figueroa credible, and the truth is, he has changed his story rather dramatically. What's more, at least for now, we've seen no additional evidence -- Figueroa has made unsubstantiated claims the Daily Caller paid someone, who paid him, who then paid the Dominican escorts to lie. But other than Figueroa's word, there's nothing else to go on.
I can understand why Tucker Carlson's critics may be eager to believe the worst, just as I can understand why Bob Menendez's critics may have been eager to believe the worst. But when it comes to dubious allegations, the phrase "caveat emptor" comes to mind. If the charges against the Daily Caller are true, the fallout would be devastating, but there's ample reason for skepticism.
What do we know? First, Menendez is facing a series of allegations, but the accusations raised by the Daily Caller in November appear to have been a work of fiction. Second, the Daily Caller really should have known better than to publish those reports in the first place.
And third, the Daily Caller is now facing serious but unproven accusations of its own, for which there is not yet any credible evidence.
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Tucker, me boy, watch your step. We all know what can happen to lads like you in Orange Jumpsuit Land.
Yes but amidst it all is the fact of the Daily Caller's record of being a rag whose main function is to demean others. They offer nothing of value at the Caller but malice...so to be accused of being malicious and publishing false accusations all one can say is "Yeah, so what's new?".
"Malice." Or "humor," as conservatives call it.
Isn't this comment malice? Why yes, yes it is. In fact this post is malicious, indulging in exactly the behavior it condemns. All of which overlooks the real story...
Not for nothing, but you really should read posts before inaccurately commenting on them. And while it likely conflicts with some How to Troll handbook, it's still really good advice.
As for recognizing malice, I completely defer to your experience in the matter.
ZINGGGGGGGGG. WTG Roc
you really should read posts before inaccurately commenting on them
Hey, Jumpshot Misser has been doing that since the day he arrived.
FIrst of all, I seriously doubt Tucker Carlson would have anything to do with such a wackadoo scheme. He may be a blowhard with a difficult grasp of the logic of debate and rebuttal, he may like bowties (Doctor Who says bowties are cool, but in the case of Carlson, who doesn't really wear them anymore, I think he'd even make an exception-- not cool).
So let's just get that out of the way. The guy's worked in media too long not to know that running that kind of scheme is off the table.
OTOH, no telling what kind of low paid employees have been brought into the Daily Caller with SEO quotas or some such thing. Those kind of fly-by-night tactics have hit all kinds of publications (sock puppets, unscrupulous hit-inflators, ad click fraud, Jayson Blair, etc. etc.). Not to mention moles or plants in a media outlet, in the employ of some other entity that pays better and wants them to slip in product mentions, or a political agenda, or whatever.
BUT EVEN with that possibility, would such an exposed black spot actually KILL Daily Caller?
It's a web site, right? No matter what kind of cloud it is under, it would stay up indefinitely. I mean, look at Alex Jones...
Like the honey badger, the web don't care about your site's credibility, in terms of its continued existence, at least.
There is a very recognizable M.O., that's for sure. Get all drunk on Limbaugh juice, then spit it up all over one of Benen's posts after just reading the title. It's a miracle he hasn't been banned, but then that's not how progressive sites roll. We're far more self-moderated.
But right you are, TCinLA. This is typical.
So Carlson is like a tobacco companies CEO?
Smoking is tied to Cancer? Never heard such a thing.
My (Carlsons) web site creates and / or perpetrates disinformation? Noooo!
.
tucker is a shucker and a no-count ...
I find this hilarious...bust that snake Carlson
You reap what you sow. You just do, eventually.
Waiting for Hannity and Limbaugh to fall. It's impossible to overstate how much bad Karma those two generate, and how deserving they are of failure.
Let us add the lack of any journalistic standards what so ever...none! Who is paying them?! Just go to YouTube and search Maddoch style of journalism. On one hand we give out the Pulitzer prize for excellence in journalism...then on the other hand nothing is given for crap.
BTW, that right there, that's malice. And although I'm comfortable enough with it, just saying... in case there's a dispute of definitions in the previous comment thread.
LOL, Trolls, gotta luv em.
I have a great deal of malice towards the right wing. They've earned every ounce of it. There is nothing too bad that could happen to any of those worthless scum that would be as much bad as they deserve.
he is a pos. i tried in fashion to steer that blond reporter - very smart girl - away from the likes of him but i dont know that she could hear all that well. she was sorely misled.
But there's this Daily Caller official statement:
The Daily Caller could have been involved in setting this up six ways from Sunday, and this statement still be narrowly true. Figueroa absolutely has credibility problems, but so does Tucker Carlson, and he's exactly the sort who could put out a precisely-worded statement that's not strictly false, but gives the reader a completely false understanding nonetheless.
Good point, Andy.
Did Daily Caller's money flow to anyone NOT (yet) connected to this investigation? Maybe the investigation just hasn't finished following the money. Yet.
Did someone NOT named Carlos travel to the DR on behalf of the Daily Caller? Was that the person who lied and just SAID that his name was Carlos?
Or was Carlos someone already IN the DR, so that he didn't have to travel there?
OR...were there any promises for future renumerations ?
Is the Daily Caller a person?
NeedMoreCoffee asked, "Is the Daily Caller a person?"
Mitt Romney called to remind you that, "corporations are people, my friend."
Andy-2932454
Exactly.
Good post.
very very narrowly. a statement like this indicates to me they are trying to thread a needle without being charged with falsifying evidence, interfering in an investigation, lying to detectives and all that.
i see it this way... repubes are a bunch of pimped outs who LIE CHEAT AND STEAL from the public for a living. they do this sort of make-believe all the time so they can go on their PIMPS DEN (out fox'd) and say "it has been reported".
and BTW? they just love that pimp and hooker thing!
You mean his name is Tucker "Carlos"-son?
lmao.
Why anybody would give credence to anything published in the Daily Caller (or seen on/in any other right wing media outlet) is beyond my comprehension.
When your entire goal is political, versus journalistic, you can't expect to have much credibility with the public.
Because there are enough individuals who need constant reassurance their world view is the correct one, from whom profit might be made.
And as long as they exist, so exists the media personalities who, in lieu of providing uncomfortable facts, choose to provide their audience (and themselves) with that comforting assurance.
Translation:
We bartered with the lawyer so technically no money passed hands.
Our contact's name wasn't Carlos, it was something else.
Beat me to it Should read:
The Daily Caller said: "At no point did any money change hands between The Daily Caller and any sources, that you can prove.
The D Caller broke the story , no one else did , the story stunk and was BS , do we really need anything else to claim THE CALLER is complete trash?
The Daily Crawler.
We were paid by a third party you don't know about (and so are not involved in the investigation) to out the story that they set it up in a meeting in Haiti.
...the Daily Collar...
We contacted a lawyer named Carlos, who was already based in the Dominican Republic, and told him we'd pay for the story, but haven't yet, so our denial's 100% true.
Here's what happened:
- the Daily Caller made up the Menendez nonsense
- when it was discovered the Daily Caller made it up, they set this story in action that they believe they can discredit,
- when they discredit this claim against them, they'll claim the initial stories about Menendez are indeed, true.
I'm making this up, but you never know. As Limbaugh would say, "Prove me wrong." Hahahahahaha...
Tucker, you sure it's not "making stories of importance"?
right. the pimped out repubes go out of their way for the cya
I wonder if those ace reporters at DeadBreitbart.com will rush to investigate, and turn up the mysterious Carlos. Can we start referring to Tucker Carlson as Carlos the Jackass?
While I agree Carlson's reputation precedes him and I wouldn't put it past him, this smells more like James O'Keefe particular brand of gutter politics.
It is easy to picture O'Keefe in a glued-on handlebar mustache and a sombrero. "My name ees Carlos."
This was the first thing I thought of when I read Benen's post. Would anyone be surprised if Carlson were to hireO'Keefe? They seem to run in the same circles and they have the same (lack of) ethics.
Caller co-founder Neil Patel was former chief policy advisor to Darth Cheney, Plame flamer. Might he have learned some political tactics from this great America Zero?
It seems far fetched to think that a lawyer in the Dominican Republic would spontaneously decide to hire women to frame an obscure New Jersey congressman with no apparent incentive. Somebody must have been driving this setup, and the Daily Caller at least has a plausible motive, along with means and opportunity. That doesn't prove guilt, but absent a more likely suspect, it doesn't look good for them.
If someone thinks they have a huge news story...who's first thought would be, "I gotta tell the The Daily Caller"!
No first thoughts of "Who'd pay me the most for exclusive rights, CNN, NBC, Fox, or Oprah?"
If I am not mistaken, the story was pitched to other media outlets first, all of whom turned it down because the story could not be verified.
Would that lend to the Caller's story that they didn't pay the girls, that they were not the first choice to get the story?
sometimes you can just see the missing pieces. as rachel sometimes connects the dots i often hope she can do a little more in this particular arena. she does a lot as it is, she is very talented. but i will keep asking her to look at the missing pieces. especially what happened after 911 FAILED TO SPARK A LARGER IMMEDIATE WAR....
Q. where are the phone records of the hijackers?
A......
I have zero sympathy for Carlson the Weasel. If he'd had any journalistic cred, that story would NOT have run. Period. He printed allegations that have turned out to have been completely fabricated. If not by him, then one of his top staffers.
Carlson has already decided to go the "hangout route" to defend his fading credibility. He doesn't have the force of personality or deep conservative base to pull a Breitbart and bare-ass his way through it. He tried the kind of O'Keefe agitprop attack, but doesn't have the staying power to give it legs.
He's going down and taking Daily Crawler down with him. Just as Rapey O'Keefe hasn't been able to find new backing since Breitbart's black heart exploded.
This whole thing is playing out like a bonus episode of House of Cards.
Oh, your Honor, plesae don't send that little bow-tie to jail!
Personally, I would have to take the position that was laid out by whom I think was resposnible for this point of veiw, Doris Kearns Goodwin, in a recent television interview: "The priviate lives of politicians should stay just that...private"! Journalism today has reduced itself to the standards of paparazzi for supermarket tabloids with Murdoch leading the way. BUT...the far right is happy to keep it up knowing they can rely on their foot soldiers--the Evangelicals--to show up at the voting booth come election time?! I wish the best to Steven Tyler in Hawaii and hopefully the boundaries of privacy will be pushed back more than just a "mere step"...like way way back. Next is the Patriot Act and reinstating FISA rules and courts. And lets not forget closing Guantomono Bay and restablishing the "rule of law".
I do not take that position. These people choose to run for public office, they choose to speak and act for their constituents.
In this day and age of public relations fronts, coaching, prepping for the media, staged interviews, and the classic family and flag photos, we'd NEVER know our candidates if aspects of their personal lives weren't made public, especially if they're doing wrong.
They don't want their private lives exposed, don't run for public office where they get to speak and legislate for the ever abused American People.
"But I'd recommend some caution here."
Why? The right wing had no qualms about destroying a worthwhile organization like ACORN using pure fabrications. Everyone on the left should holler about this until the Daily Caller is out of business and Tucker Carlson is living in a cardboard box and dumpster-diving for sustenance (like the rest of us).
"The only 'good Republicans' are pushing up daisies" - old Democratic wisdom passed on to me by my great grand uncle who knew them and despised them 90 years ago.
Tucker comes from old money... I'd like to see him sued to the point where he's basically eating out of a trash can this time next year... Might learn him some empathy and it's the only way to really hurt him.
A sort of journalistic version of "Trading Places?" Well, it probably won't come to that, but Tucker does need a lesson in humility.
HaHa! What if they were paid $10,000.00 to lie and say "they were paid $5000.00 to lie"
this is why pimped out repubes want to destroy the economy. they told their pimps they could buy people for real cheap if they could make them desparate for cash. it is how they see the world. people are for sale. people are expendable. people are worth less.
they have a pathological relationship disorder with life itself. and they want to perp their ways on all other. i say, let them do it on the moon.
I bet tucker will be at his weekend job tomorrow, co-hosting fox and friends weekend. Roger Ailes will probably give him a raise.
re: "And third, the Daily Caller is now facing serious but unproven accusations of its own, for which there is not yet any credible evidence."
So, Tucker,
How does that taste of your own medicine taste, anyway?
Karma's a b!tch, Tucker. You should have learned that earlier, after a crazy woman accused you of rape, but you're still just too eager to run after those sex scandals. If you're now the victim of a slanderer who's even more shameless than you, well -- suffer. I doubt you'll go to jail, but it'll cost you a pretty penny in legal fees and will probably be the end of your e-rag.
The problem is that the Daily Caller ROUTINELY offers opportunity for 'sources' to push lies into the flow. It's their job.
http://stthomasre.com/st-thomas-virgin-islands-news/daily-caller-accusations-debunked-in-the-details
"a local lawyer has reported being paid by someone claiming to work for the conservative Web site the Daily Caller to find prostitutes who would lie"
Isn't that the job of the Daily Caller's HR department?
Denial by the Daily Cellar:
"...nor did anyone named Carlos travel to the Dominican Republic on behalf of The Daily Cellar"
TRANSLATION: "Carlos? Who the heck is Carlos? We always called him 'Charlie.'"
KNOW @!$%#!...
pun intended.