[ad_1]
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Author
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Watergate sleuth Carl Bernstein took to Twitter to checklist the names of 21 Republican senators who he says have “repeatedly expressed contempt” for Donald Trump and his health to be president.
Bernstein’s publish was condemned Monday by a few of these concerned. It was an eyebrow-raising trendy twist on journalism from the previous Washington Publish reporter who, with accomplice Bob Woodward within the 1970s, penned scoops that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Bernstein mentioned he wasn’t violating any confidentiality pledges in itemizing the senators. He mentioned he discovered of the politicians’ supposed non-public emotions by conversations with a few of their colleagues, employees members, lobbyists and White Home aides.
“With few exceptions, their craven public silence has helped allow Trump’s most grievous conduct — together with undermining and discrediting the U.S. electoral system,” he tweeted late Sunday.
Bernstein, a CNN political analyst, declined a request to speak about his posts.
Many Washington reporters have talked about lawmakers who’ve privately expressed reservations about Trump however hardly ever hooked up names to their tales. Bernstein mentioned he believed a number of of the Republicans on his checklist had been privately pleased about Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.
Michael Zona, a spokesperson for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who was on Bernstein’s checklist, mentioned the characterization was unfaithful.
“Sen. Grassley has been a powerful supporter of the president and on the identical time has made it no secret when he disagrees with the president,” Zona mentioned. “There isn’t any distinction between what Sen. Grassley says publicly and privately. Washington journalists may be clever to rethink trafficking in baseless second- and third-hand rumor. It could restore some misplaced credibility.”
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman “has by no means talked to Mr. Bernstein and we do not know the place he is getting his false data,” mentioned Emily Benavides, the senator’s spokesperson.
Portman, in a column written for the Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday, known as on Trump to start cooperating with President-elect Biden on a transition.
There was no article on CNN’s web site about Bernstein’s checklist on Monday. The veteran reporter appeared on CNN’s “New Day” on Friday and named 15 of the 21 senators he tweeted about two days later.
Roy Gutterman, a Syracuse College professor who makes a speciality of journalism legislation and ethics, mentioned Bernstein’s strategy was uncommon and famous the journalist’s frequent criticism of Trump.
“I do not know if what he did at this time would match the mannequin of what he staked his repute on, which was hard-core investigative reporting,” Gutterman mentioned.
It was unsurprising to search out Utah Sen. Mitt Romney on Bernstein’s checklist. Romney mentioned final week of Trump’s stress to overturn the election outcomes that it was “tough to think about a worse, extra undemocratic motion by a sitting American president.”
“The senator’s views in regards to the president are well-known by the general public,” spokeswoman Liz Johnson mentioned.
In a press release, a spokesperson for Indiana Sen. Todd Younger mentioned Bernstein’s “unsourced rumors” do not deserve a response. “It is clear Sen. Younger has an excellent working relationship with President Trump that has yielded a number of historic wins for Indiana,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
[ad_2]
Source link
