(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Numerous conservative media outlets called out the New York Times ahead of its forthcoming hit piece Monday, to be published in joint with the far-left group Media Matters.
In order to get comment from a number of conservative media figures, New York Times journalist Nico Grant reached out to likes of Tucker Carlson, who immediately shared the text exchange on X:
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) October 29, 2024
According to the message, Media Matters “identified 286 YouTube videos between May and August that contained election misinformation, including narratives that have been debunked or are not supported with credible evidence.”
The laughable message also suggested that Carlson himself posted several videos containing “election misinformation” during that time frame.
In response, Carlson amusingly wrote that he hopes the journalist is “filled with guilt and self-loathing for sending me a text like this.”
“Would I like to participate in your attempt to censor me?” Carlson queried.
“No thanks. But I do hope you’ll quote what I wrote above and also note that I told you to f*** off, which I am doing now. Thanks.”
But Carlson was far from alone in receiving messages from the corporate media.
The Babylon Bee’s Seth Dillon also received messages from Grant, who appears to be tone-deaf to the Bee’s satire.
The New York Times has reached out to The Babylon Bee for comment on our election misinformation. pic.twitter.com/STzslDtKHx
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) October 29, 2024
“Do you have documentation to support your claim that Satan is in direct communication with Democrats?” the journalist asked, seemingly failing to understand the satirical nature of the publication.
Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro also received the veiled threat, suggesting that the corporate media’s “October surprise” is here.
In a follow-up X thread, Shapiro pointed out the Times’ nefarious intentions.
“It’s perfectly obvious,” he wrote. “[U]sing research from Media Matters, a radical Left-wing organization whose sole purpose is destroying conservative media… in order to pressure YouTube to demonetize and penalize any and all conservatives ONE WEEK FROM THE ELECTION.”
This would have the potential effect of discrediting “pretty much every major conservative a purveyor of ‘misinformation’ on YouTube, thus strong-arming YouTube into taking action against conservatives.”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson was also hit with the same set of questions.
I was just informed the New York Times is writing a hit piece on me.
What did I do?
– I said Democrats created an open border without “sufficient evidence”
– That lawfare against Trump is 2024 election interference
– That Kamala’s DNC nomination without a primary “was rigged” pic.twitter.com/2NcYQDZ1tY— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 29, 2024
In the wake of the story, Times journalist Nico Grant locked his X account.