White House Releases Doctored Video from InfoWars to Falsely Accuse CNN's Acosta of 'Inappropriate Behavior' in Press Briefing
Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a clearly-doctored video to falsely accuse CNN reporter Jim Acosta of "inappropriate behavior" and "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern."
The White House Press Office, reportedly under the direction of President Trump, revoked the press pass of CNN's Chief White House Correspondent Wednesday, after he pressed the president for answers during a rare yet off-the-rails press conference.
We stand by our decision to revoke this individual’s hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behavior clearly documented in this video. pic.twitter.com/T8X1Ng912y
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018
As many, including those who work in video editing noted, the clip is doctored and appears to be the one released by an editor who works for Alex Jones' Â fake news and conspiracy theories website InfoWars. CNN's Brian Stelter asked Huckabee Sanders on Twitter directly:
Question for @PressSec: Where'd you obtain the distorted @Acosta video you posted? InfoWars personality @PrisonPlanet posted the same video two hours before you did. Surely you don't trust InfoWars...?
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 8, 2018
This creative director explains how the video was altered:
1) Took @PressSec Sarah Sanders' video of briefing
— Rafael Shimunov (@rafaelshimunov) November 8, 2018
2) Tinted red and made transparent over CSPAN video
3) Red motion is when they doctored video speed
4) Sped up to make Jim Acosta's motion look like a chop
5) I've edited video for 15+ years
6) The White House doctored it pic.twitter.com/q6arkYSx0V
More:
Correction: the white house ---uploaded a doctored video--- there is no evidence that they are the source of the doctored video. They may have taken it from white supremacist Paul Joseph Watson here https://t.co/9M0ReHAzcp
— Rafael Shimunov (@rafaelshimunov) November 8, 2018
Acosta explains what actually happened:
CNN's Jim Acosta told CNN's Anderson Cooper that he *never* touched the female White House aide that tried to take the mic away from him.
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 8, 2018
CNN showed the clip but edited out the part where he clearly touched her.
Cooper offered no pushback on Acosta's blatant lie. pic.twitter.com/65rP9xWWyI
Don’t believe the lies coming from the WH. Believe in our freedoms. Thank you all for your support. We won’t back down. #1A
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018
Meanwhile, revoking Acosta's "hard pass" apparently is a dream come true for Trump.
"Sources with direct knowledge tell Jonathan Swan that since the earliest days of his presidency, Trump has mused about revoking press credentials for reporters who infuriate him," Axios reports.
If there's any doubt left that the White House released a fake video, here's another detailed explainer:
