Sinclair gives pro-Trump insurrectionists a pass by broadcasting lie that “far-left infiltrators” attacked the Capitol
Sinclair reporter James Rosen pushed the debunked conspiracy theory before trying to cover his tracks
Written by Zachary Pleat
Published
Pro-Trump insurrectionists sacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6 in a brutal assault on American democracy on behalf of President Donald Trump. But Sinclair Broadcast Group national correspondent James Rosen lied to local news viewers in over a dozen states, pushing the debunked conspiracy theory that leftist, anti-fascist activists had engaged in the attack.
The attack on the Capitol came after Trump repeatedly urged his followers to gather in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to oppose Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote that he lost. Lawmakers were in session when the Capitol went into lockdown, and they were evacuated by Capitol police. Four people died, including one woman reportedly supportive of the QAnon conspiracy theory who was shot by law enforcement inside the Capitol building.
Some right-wing media and pro-Trump figures were quick to baselessly claim “antifa members” were responsible for the attack. A few Republican lawmakers also falsely blamed antifa. Sinclair’s Rosen joined in on this malicious attempt to shift the blame away from Trump and his supporters, a narrative which has since been debunked. In his initial report, Rosen falsely claimed that the mob attacking the Capitol was “likely augmented by far-left infiltrators” and that one attacker had participated in “BLM and antifa actions as far away as Arizona.” (The person in question is actually a Trump and QAnon supporter.)
Citation From the January 6, 2021, edition of KATU News First at Four
JAMES ROSEN (SINCLAIR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT): Pro-Trump protesters, their ranks likely augmented by far-left infiltrators, started clashing with Capitol Police before 2 p.m. Eastern. D.C. police said the rioters used chemical sprays against the officers to breach the historic building.
...
But the protesters did inflict some damage, roaming the hallowed halls seemingly at will, with even the office suite of Speaker Pelosi compromised.
…
As terrified spectators watched from the House Gallery, Capitol Police drew their firearms close to the House floor. On the Senate side, protesters ran wild on the floor. One young man brazenly occupied the same chair Vice President Pence had an hour earlier when he presided over the Republicans’ truncated challenge to the certification of the Electoral College vote. Lawmakers in both chambers were evacuated.
...
In Wilmington, President-elect Biden called the violence at the Capitol “a God-awful display. An assault on the rule of law. Chaos unlike anything we've seen in modern times.”
(VIDEO BEGINS)
PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN: It borders on sedition. I call on President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath, and defend the Constitution, and demand an end to this siege.
(VIDEO ENDS)
ROSEN: Minutes later at the White House, President Trump released a video that repeated his baseless claim the election was stolen from him, before imploring his supporters to stay peaceful and, quote, “go home.”
(VIDEO BEGINS)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We love you. You're very special. But we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace.
(VIDEO ENDS)
ROSEN: On social media, images surfaced showing that at least some of the protesters who breached the Capitol were previously photographed earlier this year taking part in BLM and antifa actions as far away as Arizona, the very state whose Electoral College votes were being challenged when the chaos erupted.
Rosen’s report aired on at least 14 Sinclair-owned or -operated stations in at least 18 states, according to a transcript search of the Kinetiq video database.
But Sinclair later began airing another version of Rosen’s report, which removed his lies about “far-left infiltrators” and a supposed anti-facist activist. Rosen also deleted a tweet containing the first version of his report -- though an earlier tweet making a similar insinuation remains up on his account.
On Thursday morning, Rosen posted the “updated version” of his report to Twitter without mentioning or apologizing for the lies in his first report.
Sinclair should perhaps begin fact-checking all of Rosen’s segments before broadcasting them on its huge network of local TV news stations -- especially given his trend over the past year of pushing pro-Trump propaganda in his reporting.