Come On NBC…Fess Up on the Paul Pelosi Story! – Watch
It was on November 4th that NBC’s “Today Show” had a breaking story on the strange attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In the blockbuster report, National Correspondent Miguel Almaguer cited an anonymous source who was “close to the criminal investigation” of the home invasion and alleged assault of Paul Pelosi. The source said that he did not immediately ask for help or seek protection from police when he greeted them at his door on the night of the attack.
“After a ‘knock and announce,’ the front door was opened by Mr. Pelosi. The 82-year-old did not immediately declare an emergency or try to leave his home. Instead, he began walking several feet back into the foyer toward the assailant and away from police. It’s unclear if the 82-year-old was already injured or what his mental state was, say sources,” Almaguer reported.
But later that same afternoon, the story and the video were taken off of NBC News’s website and their social media platforms. They were replaced by this notice:
“Editor’s note: This piece has been removed from publication because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards.”
But the initial story, though bizarre, is important regarding the nature of this crime. Why did Pelosi walk back almost into the hands of the “assailant” rather than move behind police protection?
Almaguer is now suspended from NBC News while the story is still being investigated. A spokesperson for the agency said that they do not comment on personnel matters, but this is not just about personnel, it is about journalistic integrity.
NBC owes the American public answers to some really important questions.
First, NBC should let us know what was inaccurate about the initial report from Almaguer. No one has sufficiently answered that question yet. Doesn’t NBC owe their readers this information instead of just saying it “didn’t meet their standards?”
Another question that should be answered by NBC is who their anonymous source was that gave them “false” information.
If NBC is now telling the truth, the source gave them the wrong information and that has caused the reporter, one of their best, to be suspended. That source does not deserve the protection they are giving him if NBC is telling the truth now.