I didn't realize the true utility of Woodward's PERIL until today—when I read about the House's 1/6 subpoenas. As I know from the list of those following the PROOF project, 50+ members of Congress know the work PROOF has done. But Woodward offers the gravitas demand letters need.
(PS) I earnestly wondered why Congress would quote a book that just came out 2 days ago—and that Congress first saw, at most, 2-3 weeks ago—in letters the House has been worker on far longer. Then I realized: the House must quote media, and Woodward is seen as the gold standard.
(PS2) One couldn't use the bare-bones research done by Woodward to create the House's lengthy subpoena list—you'd need to read the work of indie journalists to create such a detailed roster. But the House can't or won't quote indie journalists, so PERIL created a new opportunity.
(PS3) I'm not saying PROOF was the only insurrection research consulted—of course not; not even close—but the article I published detailing that 50+ members of Congress follow the PROOF project seems to underscore that PROOF was one of the sources used. sethabramson.substack.com
(PS4) What's sad is that Congress is certainly using some PROOF research, but by not citing PROOF it misses an opportunity to encourage *more people* to read PROOF. Instead, it's encouraging people to read PERIL—a comparatively superficial work that doesn't need its imprimatur.
(PS5) The good news: PROOF will continue either way, and continue being used by Congress, and continue not being acknowledged by Congress. Congress will amplify Woodward—who goes on TV and says wrong things about 1/6—but as long as folks here keep recommending PROOF, that's fine.

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More from @SethAbramson

25 Sep
(NOTE) PROOF has already published documentary evidence—in the form of the so-called "Eddie Block Video"—*confirming* that the Proud Boys had a prior plan to storm the Capitol. They are on video *confessing* it. This New York Times sub-hed is preposterous and bizarrely credulous.
PS/ After yesterday, we know that the NYT’s top political reporter follows the PROOF project. At what point does the NYT *consistently* ignoring PROOF reporting become a manifest flaw in its January 6 coverage? Is spite a justification for crappy, incomplete coverage of sedition?
Read 8 tweets
25 Sep
Before I make my comment on this, I just want to say: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Image
PS/ And (with your indulgence) if I can just add the following: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
PS2/ Okay, but seriously, here's my final thought on this subject:

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
Read 4 tweets
24 Sep
Yes, I'm aware Maggie Haberman is attacking me on Twitter right now. No, it doesn't bother me. I've said for years that I don't respect access journalism that uses known liars as neutral sources. I abhor it when she does it, or Bob Woodward, or Michael Wolff.

And she knows this.
I'm not obligated to be an apologist for Haberman's shoddy journalism, or Woodward's, just because they've won Pulitzer Prizes and they think that independent journalists should kiss their feet. I teach journalism at an R1, and I'd *never* teach students to do what Haberman does.
My thread on Haberman's shoddy journalism today was far shorter than the one I did on Woodward's shoddy journalism two days ago.

I have been clear and consistent in my criticism of contemporary access journalism and the erasure of independent journalists.
Read 6 tweets
24 Sep
Police have made an arrest in the murder of my former work colleague at Nashua District Court, Sgt. Donna Briggs of the Hudson Police Department. I'm so relieved—as I know everyone who admired and cared about Sgt. Briggs is. Just wanted to update everyone. boston.cbslocal.com/2021/09/24/cra…
PS/ Craig Sprowl is charged with negligent homicide, rather than murder, but given that this was a hit-and-run, I'd be surprised if we didn't ultimately see a superseding indictment for second-degree murder, hence my use of that term. The important thing is that an ID was made.
PS2/ I just want to say again what I wrote two days ago: Sgt. Briggs was an incredible person and police officer, and I admired her more than I can say. It was an honor to work with her in the aughts—and to see her commitment to public service up close. She will be sorely missed.
Read 4 tweets
24 Sep
I'm trying to figure out why CNN thinks it's building its brand or consumer trust when it brings on Maggie Haberman to falsely say we know next to nothing about the meetings that led up to January 6. Haberman has tried to destroy any indie journalist who's done reporting on this.
CNN and other outlets have a choice: they can bring on-air people who've actually done the work on the events of December 18, December 21, December 28, December 30, January 2, January 3 and January 5, or it can bring on Haberman and ask her about the few things *she* knows about.
What no media outlet can do is bring people on-air, ask them about things they know nothing about, and then treat their ignorant responses as useful intelligence for viewers. This isn't even a complicated concept—it's Journalism 101. Why is this so hard for CNN and other outlets?
Read 8 tweets
23 Sep
(🔐) BREAKING NEWS: Trump's Insurrection Eve Willard Hotel "War Room" Attendee List Swells

I hope you'll subscribe, read, and RT.

After months of PROOF reports on events at the Willard Hotel on January 5/January 6, we've got a really big new development. sethabramson.substack.com/p/breaking-new…
1/ When I was writing about the Trump-Russia, Trump-Ukraine, Trump-Iran, Trump-Turkey, Trump-China and Trump-Venezuela scandals, I used to say that "New info seems to *never* be exculpatory—everything just gets worse and worse." Well, that's the Willard Hotel story in a nutshell.
2/ PROOF had before today, and still has now, the most comprehensive roster of the occupants of *every* Trump January 6 war room, including the *three* (minimum) that were operative on Insurrection Day at the Willard Hotel. The new Costa/Woodward book adds two very useful names.
Read 5 tweets

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