Martin Bashir Tries To Slander The GOP Like He Slandered Michael Jackson

On the Martin Bashir show today, the host actually said that Republicans are using the acronym "IRS" as the latest dog whistle in their "war against the black man in the White House" This approach is nothing new for the MSNBC host who is already a record holder in recognition of the yellow journalism piece he did on Michael Jackson which many people believe sent the singer into the depression which ended up with the "king of pop's" death.

 According to Bashir:

"The IRS is being used in exactly the same way as they tried to use the President’s birth certificate.

 Hey Martin it was the Hillary for President campain that started the Birther movement.

But then he brings up the false charge that Rep. Darryl Issa committed arson. In 1982, Issa purchased Quantum Enterprises and Steel Stopper International. Upon purchase, he increased the insurance on the building from $100,000 to $462,000. A month later, the structure burned down. Arson investigators noted a “suspicious burn pattern” but could find no proof that arson had actually occurred. Nor was there any evidence that Issa was somehow involved. No charges were filed in the case, no one was ever arrested. But that didn't stop Bashir who not only implied the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee was an arsonist, but a racist as well:

“You see, for Republicans like Darrell Issa – who knows something about arson – the IRS now stands for something inflammatory. Those three letters are now on fire with political corruption and malfeasance burning hot just like that suspicious fire that engulfed Mr. Issa’s warehouse back in 1982. And, despite the complete lack of any evidence linking the President to the targeting of Tea Party groups, Republicans are using it as their latest weapon in the war against the black man in the White House.”

He goes on to play some clips of GOP figures accusing the White House of knowing about the IRS Scandal. When the clips were done Bashir said, “This strategy is nothing new, and it was explained way back in 1981 by Lee Atwater who was Bush 41’s chief strategist”

Wait a second Ronald Reagan was president in 1981?




Bashir's most famous act of slander was in 2003- he created a "news" special called Living with Michael Jackson. After spending eight-months as part of Jackson's entourage, Bashir conducted a series of interviews with the pop singer. The final edit of the interview was widely seen as an example of yellow journalism, deliberately skewed to make the entertainer look like a bad parent and child molester.

It was obvious that Bashir exploited the friendship he developed with the singer to further his own career. Following the broadcast, The New York Times called Bashir's journalism style "callous self-interest masked as sympathy.

Jackson and his personal cameraman who also taped the sessions released their own version of the interview, which showed Bashir complimenting Jackson for the "spiritual" quality of the Neverland Ranch, contradicting the journalist's previous statements that it was a "dangerous place" for children. Bashir is also seen describing Jackson as a wonderful father and says that Jackson's relationship with his children "almost makes him weep"

According to Dieter Wiesner, Jackson's manager at the time, the Bashir interview sent the singer down the path that lead to his death.

Mr Wiesner told the Sun: "It broke him. It killed him. He took a long time to die, but it started that night. Previously the drugs were a crutch, but after that they became a necessity.

Bashir is an excellent choice to be in the same TV Lineup as other slanderers such as Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews.

UPDATE:

Mediaite Points out that Bashir Broadcast a Misleading Edit Of Lee Atwater Quote To Portray GOP As Racist