Florida’s Top 5 Fake News Reporters for 3/20-3/27
Florida’s Conservative Voice Presents Florida’s Top 5 Fake News Reporters of the Week: Every week, FCV will rank the worst reporters covering Florida politics. Our team, and readers, have noticed a stark uptick of fake news “journalists” that are consistently lying or misleading the public on Florida affairs in politics, ranging from Governor Ron DeSantis to COVID-19. In an effort to promote more journalistic integrity, these individuals will be cited for their attempts to mislead the public.
5. Nicole Hemmer (CNN)
In an opinion article for the famous truth-tellers at CNN, Nichole Hemmer countered Governor Ron DeSantis’ proclamation of female swimmer Emma Weyant being the winner over male-competitor Lia Thomas in the Women’s 500-Yard Freestyle, saying that DeSantis and Republicans “don’t give a damn about women’s sports.”
“The proclamation builds on a nationwide campaign against trans women competing in sports. That campaign has required a number of conservatives to do a 180 on women’s sports. Long a subject of derision and defunding by many on the right, now these sports have become sacrosanct,” she unfoundedly claims.
“The goal [of DeSantis] has nothing to do with securing equal resources, opportunity or pay for women athletes — issues the right has objected to for decades.”
Hemmer refers to mysterious comparisons of ‘Title IX,’ which was an extension of the 1964 Civil Rights Act in many respects into education, to the idea of biological males competing in women’s sports and conservatives opposing it.
Confusingly, DeSantis has never said anything in opposition – or even any strong opinion – on Title IX. Hemmer’s notion of straw-manning DeSantis and Florida conservatives on wanting women’s sports to be fair simply makes no sense.
Does leveling the playing field not give biological women equal opportunity?
4. Ruth Ben-Ghiat (Sun Sentinel)
Ben-Ghiat claims in the Sentinel that somehow, Ron DeSantis is instituting “authoritarian political culture” and “rejects democratic norms and ideals,” she somehow links H.B. 1557 – which bars sexual education for kids in grades K-3 – as being ‘authoritarian.’
Supposedly, DeSantis is a “particularly dangerous individual’ in that he has plans to institute “illiberalism on a national scale.”
Apparently ‘illiberal’ now means ‘opposing sexual grooming of little children.’ Great platform.
3. LZ Granderson (Los Angeles Times)
In an article for the Los Angeles Times, Granderson tries to demonize the Parental Rights in Education Act as a “don’t say gay bill” that originated from “Vladimir Putin.”
“That’s right, Vladimir Putin created a ‘don’t say gay’ bill first.”
This is not the Babylon Bee.
Granderson refers to the Kremlin allegedly trying to “shut down the LGTBQ Network for talking about LGBTQ issues,” where WNBA player Brittney Griner was targeted.
What does this have to do with teaching young children about sex of any kind – including straight sex?
2. Anthony Man (Orlando Sentinel/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fake news is sometimes deceitful and manipulative, but this one is pure comedy.
“Normally a master of messaging, DeSantis outmaneuvered by ‘Don’t Say Gay’ catchphrase,” the article is headlined.
“In recent months, however, he and other Republicans have found themselves in an unfamiliar place: on the political defensive as a result of adept messaging that originated with LGBTQ activists.”
The idea that DeSantis was “outmaneuvered” is laughable: polls have found that most Americans and Disney consumers actually support the provisions of the bill. When Americans are asked about the true contents of the bill – you know, the truth – they support H.B. 1557 overwhelmingly. Leftist messaging failed.
1. Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald)
News cannot get faker than with Klas: she reported that DeSantis had a speech “canceled” by an investment conference after so-called “anti-immigrant” views of his were complained about by a lawyer who planned on attending.
“Investment conference in Miami cancels DeSantis’ speech over ‘anti-immigrant’ views,” the headline reads.
As FCV already fact-checked, there was no scheduled speech issued by DeSantis’ office or the campaign office. EB5 – the organizers – had to send an email to the DeSantis campaign apologizing for a staff mix-up. They blasted the Herald for weaponizing the conference.
There has not been a retraction or apology from Klas or the Miami Herald.
