Thread by @DanielSchulman

Here’s Politico reporting on House Republicans plotting to discredit the Mueller investigation and the FBI. politico.com/story/2017/12/…

Here’s Politico, the next day, participating in that plan. politico.com/story/2017/12/…

This Politico story is still bugging me, so indulge me a moment. /1

In this news environment—and on the Russia beat in particular—we are all scrambling to break news and to advance the story wherever it leads.

And a scoop’s a scoop, right?

No. /2

Real scoops uncover, advance, or elucidate. Faux scoops, often shopped by those with agendas, obscure, muddy, and distract.

Real scoops inform. Faux scoops misinform. /3

(Most sources have agendas, btw. Just be sure you understand what yours is/are.) /4

In this case, the agenda of the “two congressional GOP sources” who spoke to Politico couldn’t have been more transparent. /5

The same reporter who “broke” this story reported the previous day that a group of House Rs, led by (supposedly recused) intel chair Devin Nunes, were working in secret to dig up info to “discredit special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.” /6

It seems pretty clear that members of the Nunes group provided this reporter with the “scoop” that they were looking into ties between James Baker & @davidcorndc. /7

If you are accepting tips from anyone in the Nunes orbit, you need to think long and hard about why they are providing you with this information. /8

Actually, not that long and hard. Nunes has made clear from the start that he was trying to sabotage his committee’s Russia investigation. /9

wired.com/2017/04/devin-…

To be clear, here’s what @davidcorndc told Politico. /10

As @davidcorndc’s editor on the original story about the dossier, I can confirm that statement. /11

The congressional sources provided Politico with just enough information to create the whiff of impropriety (where, I assure you, there is none).
/12

They said they had “documents” linking Corn and Baker. Did the Politico reporter ask to see them? He damn well should have before going to press with a story that could destroy a man’s career. /13

We are living during a time when a concerted effort is afoot to discredit those who hold the powerful to account & “fake news” has become the rallying cry of people who feel emboldened to lie directly to your face. /14

washingtonpost.com/news/worldview…

Don’t be a pawn in this effort, even if it means passing on a scoop or even just spending a bit more time to make sure you’re not being used. /15

And let’s be clear, Politico: you were used. /end