Florida’s Top 5 Fake News Reporters for 4/3-4/10
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. Andrew Atterbury (POLITICO)
In an article for POLITICO which, on the surface, is a run-of-the-mill news article, the slant and false premises can be clearly seen.
“Florida Republican pledges to make gender transition-related medical care for minors felony child abuse,” it is headlined. A quick read, though, will show the agenda they are trying to promote – the castration of children via “gender-affirming care.”
The characterization of terms tells us the slant of the writer. They refer to castrating young boys as simple “gender-affirming care” and refer to LGBTQ groups saying that it will further “marginalize” them.
Would a neutral reader come away with both sides of the argument? Does POLITICO inform readers of what the surgery involves?
4. Scott Maxwell (Orlando Sentinel)
Maxwell penned an opinion piece for the Orlando Sentinel titled, “DeSantis, Florida GOP did favors for Disney – until Disney stopped giving them money.”
The fake news is based on the false premise presented in the headline: that somehow, Governor Ron DeSantis all of a sudden will no longer do Disney “favors” because they halted political donations.
First, Disney has considerable political influence due to their large impacts on the Florida economy. It is indisputable that businesses like Disney might receive the favor of lawmakers – but the feud between Disney and DeSantis/Republicans had nothing to do with campaign cash.
When DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, Disney confirmed the “Don’t Say Gay” narrative and vowed to get the legislation “repealed” or struck down in the courts.
DeSantis went hard on Disney whether they were going to pause political donations or not. Critics point to donations from Disney of around 100,000 – just 0.1% of the $100 MILLION raised by DeSantis.
3. Ja’han Jones (MSNBC)
“GOP goes full authoritarian, anti-business with Disney attacks,” left-wing opinion writer Jones said.
“The GOP, the self-proclaimed party of “free enterprise,” is seeking to punish Disney over its support for gay and trans people,” he claims.
The fallacy is obvious: the topic of the law pertains to public schools and government employees teaching young, young children as young as kindergarten about sexual orientation. Disney – a multinational corporation – vowed to get the law effectively destroyed in the legal system, attempting to subvert the will of Florida voters and the state government protecting children from grooming.
Referring to Disney’s vow to repeal legislation has nothing to do with “support for gay and trans people;” the law does not deprive LGBTQ rights – in fact, the law almost entirely applies to straight sexual orientation, given the sexuality of the vast, vast majority of Americans is not LGTBQ.
2. Jonathan Chait (New York Magazine)
Chait says that “DeSantis’s Threats to Disney Is What Post-Trump Authoritarianism Looks Like.”
“’Special treatment’ as long as you support the government.”
Chait’s fake news piece harkens back to Maxwell’s piece, but is more blatantly wrong: DeSantis’ ire with Disney has nothing to do with simple obedience to the boot of the government. In fact, the government is limiting itself with H.B. 1557: it restricts government employees from hosting class discussions with young children about sex and gender identity.
Apparently, a “post-Trump authoritarian” is government limiting itself to indoctrinate kids about sex and gender identity ideology.
1. Ben Wieder (Miami Herald)
Weider’s piece for the Herald is not only fake news, but it is hilarious.
“DeSantis calls out ‘fake news,’ but his campaign used fake news site to raise cash,” it says.
The reader is expecting something outlandish: that DeSantis is using propaganda media outlets (like the Miami Herald?) to make money for his political aspirations – something devious.
The reality? The Herald is referring to the Babylon Bee, a satire, comedy ‘news’ website that publishes fake headlines as comedy pieces.
The tweet was intensely ratioed on Twitter, with critics laughing at the Herald for being a “parody of itself.”
