A Scatter Gun, Misaimed

For John, BLUF:  K T McFarland was Deputy National Security Advisor early in the Trump Administration and now is the Ambassador Designate to Singapore.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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New York Times forced to heavily amend another supposed K.T. McFarland 'scoop'

This is The Washington Examiner and Reporter Becket Adams, 5 December 2017.

Here is the lede plus two:

The New York Times got ahead of itself again with yet another supposedly hot scoop involving former deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland, the Russians and the 2016 presidential election.

The story, now titled “McFarland’s Testimony About Russia Contacts Is Questioned,” reported originally that an email sent by the former Trump transition official indicated she lied to Congress this summer when she was questioned about disgraced Gen. Michael Flynn's communications with the Russians.

The article has been heavily amended since publication so that it is now mostly innuendo.  The initial references to the emails have been removed, and the story now leans mostly on Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who only questions whether McFarland was forthright in her testimony.

Could we use the expression "getting out over her skis"?

I think the urge on the part of the bien-pensant to be the first when the Trump Administration implodes is strong.  Problem is, it is not apparent to some of us that this will happen.  What could happen and would be worse would be if the media damaged the reputations of individuals by running speculative stories based on unethical and inaccurate leaks from the investigation.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff