After the case was thrown out in August, on Monday, Navy veteran Zachary Young filed an appeal of his defamation suit against Puck News. In addition to wanting Florida’s First District Court of Appeals to allow the case to proceed, Young also requested they order a new judge be assigned to preside over the case; pointing to Judge William Scott Henry’s comments about the merits of the case. Just as he did with his appeal for his defamation case against the Associated Press. The appeal filed by Young’s counsel Jason Greaves, didn’t hold back as it repeatedly accused Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit of coming to “erroneous” conclusions in Puck’s favor on multiple fronts and upending the order of operations for how defamation cases were supposed to proceed: The circuit court erroneously dismissed Appellants’ Amended Complaint with prejudice, ignoring reasonable defamatory interpretations, and denied them leave to seek punitive damages, improperly preventing Appellants from “protect[ing their] own good name.” (…) As an initial matter, the circuit court erroneously held that Puck’s articles were protected under the fair report privilege. (…) Here, it was erroneous for the circuit court to have determined as a matter of law that Puck’s articles gave a reasonably fair and accurate report on the CNN case. Specifically, the circuit court found that Puck’s statements were merely “correct accounts of what was transpiring in the CNN Case at the time.” And that just because certain things were omitted or presented with bias is of no consequence. This, however, ignores the reality of the articles. (…) The court erroneously concluded, as a matter of law, that Puck’s September Article was not capable of defamatory meaning, because of the presumed “context” of Puck’s affirmative defense of fair report privilege. At this pleading stage, however, where the defamatory statement, on its face and without innuendo, accused Mr. Young of preying on vulnerable Afghans and charging them exorbitant rates, the circuit court cannot rewrite the statement for Puck. As in his initial complaint, Young’s filing argued that Puck News (a media industry-focus publication), via coverage from “entertainment law expert” Eriq Gardner, took CNN’s side and presented slanted reporting that aimed to clean some of the egg of their face: Gardner described the CNN report, writing, “reporter Alex Marquardt detailed how, following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the collapse of the government, panicked locals turned to private contractors to help them flee the country.” Gardner followed this sentence immediately with the following: “One such contractor was Zachary Young, a Navy Veteran whose firm was charging people hefty fees—sometimes tens of thousands of dollars—to escape the Taliban.” Through this framing, Gardner unequivocally adopted CNN’s false characterization of events, embracing them as his own, and claimed that Mr. Young preyed on “panicked locals” by charging them “tens of thousands of dollars.” Greaves also drew the appellate court’s attention to how Gardner tried to dismiss the merits of Young case, trial, and victory over CNN by suggesting it was only political: Gardner went on to express doubt about the verdict, writing, “CNN’s loss isn’t a stunner, although many may find it questionable whether the network’s reporters truly branded Young a criminal war profiteer, as he alleged.” Rather, “CNN’s real problem was geographical: the trial was set in Panama City, one of Florida’s deepest-red outposts.” (…) Separately, the articles repeatedly imply—through juxtaposition, selective omissions, and snide commentary about geography and politics—that Mr. Young actually did what CNN accused him of and only won because of partisan courts. In a statement to NewsBusters, Greaves said: “Puck didn’t just report on the CNN case, it revived CNN’s false accusation after a court had already ruled it was untrue. When a media outlet repeats a lie knowing the truth, that’s not journalism. It’s defamation, plain and simple.” As he did with the AP case, Young also wanted a new judge to oversee the case on remand: Because of the flippant way that the court below composed the Order, Appellants reasonably fear that, on remand, their claims would not receive the detached and neutral attention to which they are entitled, and thus respectfully request this Court order that this case be reassigned to a new judge. Throughout the Order, the court below demonstrated bias toward Appellants by inappropriately invoking the analogy that this case was a bad sequel to the CNN case that never should have been made. As NewsBusters reported back in August, Judge William Scott Henry dismissed the case with language that cast doubt on the merits of the case: Because of the flippant way that the court below composed the Order, Appellants reasonably fear that, on remand, their claims would not receive the detached and neutral attention to which they are entitled, and thus respectfully request this Court order that this case be reassigned to a new judge. Throughout the Order, the court below demonstrated bias toward Appellants by inappropriately invoking the analogy that this case was a bad sequel to the CNN case that never should have been made. During the CNN defamation trial, Judge Henry did occasionally admonish both sides, but in particular CNN's lead counsel David Axelrod for spreading lies about Young in the courtroom. He forced Axelrod to apologize to the Navy veteran, which Young understandably did not accept. Henry also looked out for the media reporting on the trial. He looked to confirm with the press pool that Axelrod had obtained our consensus to not sure images of their star witness (they apparently didn’t inform him that the trial was televised online). When NewsBusters spoke out and informed Judge Henry that we were not consulted, he sided with us and instructed the witness would be shown.

Sunday’s 60 Minutes kicked off with Lesley Stahl’s 13-minute interview with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who’s quitting in January. CBS played up the anti-Trump angle, as expected: Marjorie Taylor Greene says Republicans "terrified to step out of line" when it comes to Trump Naturally, Stahl was eager to know what nasty things Republican members of Congress say about Trump behind his back. But the most amusing part came when Stahl attacked Greene over her lack of civility, an interesting take coming from nasty CBS. It's disorienting to hear Greene mocking other Republicans who started "kissing his ass" when Trump secured the GOP nomination in 2024. Stahl proclaimed: “Greene has built her reputation on feisty combat and inflammatory insults, like calling President Joe Biden a "liar" during the 2023 State of the Union.  It's been five years of almost constant drama, with her adding fuel to the nation's loss of civility.” Wait. So from 2016 forward, the media elites convinced themselves that they all just must call Trump a “liar” on the front pages and the network newscasts. But when a Republican yells it at Biden, it’s “inflammatory”?   Stahl noted that Greene apologized for contributing to toxic talk in an interview on CNN, but "it became clear to us that she hasn't entirely lost her appetite for combat." So Stahl launched at her:  GREENE: It’s the most toxic political culture and it’s not helping the American people. STAHL: But, you contributed to that! You! You were out there pounding, insulting people. GREENE: Lesley, you’ve contributed to it as well with your — STAHL: Me? GREENE: Yes, you’re accusatory, just like you did just then. STAHL: I know you’re accusing me, but I’m smiling — GREENE: You’re accusing me! STAHL: I am accusing you! GREENE: But we don’t have to accuse one another. STAHL: I want you to respond to what you have done in terms of insulting people, yelling at people, and then saying — GREENE: I’d like for you to respond for that. No, you can respond for that. STAHL: I don’t insult people. GREENE: You do in the way you question. And you’re accusing me right now. For us, Stahl is most notorious for telling Donald Trump you can't confirm that Hunter Biden's laptop was real, which wasn't so much an insult as a preposterous assertion. In our files, we have more examples of Stahl gushing over Jimmy Carter or Nancy Pelosi or other Democrats. But her questions can be insulting, like asking the Israeli ex-hostage in April a Hamas-sympathetic question: “Do you think they starved you or they just didn’t have food?” We could cite this Stahl question to the Trump family on 60 Minutes just days after Trump won in 2016: “A lot of people are afraid. They’re really afraid. African Americans think there’s a target on their back. Muslims are terrified...Do any of you want to say anything about this fear that’s out there?” But Greene was probably thinking of when Stahl interviewed her in 2023, when she brought a litany of insults -- but from other people. “We looked up some words that have been said about you,” Stahl informed her. Among the list of words were apparently “crazy,” “Q-clown,” “looney tune,” “unhinged,” and “moron.” Later, Stahl pointed out how “people say” Greene was “Trump in high heels.” Stahl also insulted Greene when she gave a typical Republican answer on the budget, when she said Washington doesn't have a tax-revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Stahl shot back: "You know something, that's glib. That's glib. What does that mean? The two sides have to come together and hammer it out." (Translation: Raise taxes.) And Stahl lost her mind back then when Greene said the Democrats were the "party of pedophiles." So again, let's point out that these days, leftists constantly argue that President Trump is a pedophile (over the Epstein scandal), but Stahl hasn't freaked out over that at all. All the "fact checking" goes one way, just like all the "civility checking" does.  PS: Stahl had a slightly fraught conversation with former network correspondent Jeff Greenfield over the 2023 MTG interview here. 

Under Democrat Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois has refused to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulting in the release into the state of nearly 1,800 criminal illegal aliens since President Donald Trump took office, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported Monday. Since January 20, Illinois' refusal to honor detainer requests by ICE has resulted in the release of 1,768 criminal illegal aliens since January 20, DHS revealed in a press release, highlighting several of the most serious crimes of those released: 5 homicides, 141 assaults, 23 burglaries, 4 robberies, 24 dangerous drugs offenses, 15 weapons offenses, 10 sexual predatory offenses. Another 4,015 aliens are currently in the custody of an Illinois jurisdiction with an active detainer. According to the release, their crimes include: 51 homicides, 1,134 assaults, 107 burglaries, 36 robberies, 275 dangerous drugs offenses, 120 weapons offenses, 813 sexual predatory offenses. “Governor Pritzker and his fellow Illinois sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, pedophiles, and kidnappers back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said: “We are calling on Governor Pritzker and his administration to stop this dangerous derangement and commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 4,000 criminal illegal aliens in Illinois’ custody. “It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans.” The release ends by providing photos and criminal histories of “Some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens released by Governor Pritzker and his fellow Illinois sanctuary politicians.”  

We’ve got a new interactive series called Worst Media Take of the Week, where you — our loyal NewsBusters visitors and MRC supporters — get to vote on which leftist journalist or celebrity had the worst media take of the week.   Much appreciation to all who voted last week via NewsBusters and the MRC’s various social media sites (Facebook, Instagram and X.com).   The results of the Worst Media Take of the Week are in and the winner is… Joy Reid! The ABC’s The View co-host won with 64 percent of the vote. Reid took first place for calling Donald Trump supporters racist and predicting that they won’t support a JD Vance presidential candidacy because Second Lady Usha Vance is a “non-white” immigrant. MS NOW host Joe Scarborough came in second place with 26 percent. Finishing last was MS NOW host Jen Psaki at 10 percent.  The following is a montage of all the nominees:      WINNER (64 percent of the vote)   Joy Reid: Racist MAGA Won’t Accept JD Vance Because He’s Married to an Immigrant “[Vice President JD] Vance has a problem in that the base of MAGA is fundamentally racist….What most motivates MAGA? Hatred of non-white immigrants. They’re obsessed with non-white immigrants and undocumented people. They use the term illegals, which is just the N-word for brown people.…So they can’t have the successor to MAGA be the guy with the brown Hindu wife. They’re also Christian nationalists. That ain’t gonna work. That’s why he’s throwing his wife under the bus. Poor [Second Lady] Usha – or she’s in on it, right?”— Former MS NOW host Joy Reid on the I’ve Had It podcast, November 25.   SECOND PLACE (26 percent of the vote)   Joe Scarborough: Trump Administration is “Going Against Jesus’s Teachings” on Deportation “The administration official that said the Pope is wrong. You kinda going against not only the Pope, you’re going against Jesus’s teachings throughout the entire New Testament. All I can say is good luck with that, taking it up with Jesus and taking it up with the Pope. And all of the archbishops and so many priests. The New Testament, the Gospel is so painfully clear that the Pope feels free to say, ‘Please don’t call yourself pro-life if you’re against abortion, but you support the inhumane treatment of these souls.’”— Host Joe Scarborough on MS NOW’s Morning Joe, November 20.    THIRD PLACE (10 percent of the vote)   Jen Psaki Rages Against Trump “Sycophants” in “Kremlin-esque” White House Press Briefings  “I read the press briefing a lot because we do a little thing on our show about it sometimes, more and more of the questions in there are by sycophants, or by people who are not asking about news that the American people cares about….It’s becoming more of a Kremlin-esque press corps.”— MS NOW host Jen Psaki on Next Question with Katie Couric podcast, November 19.   Thanks again to all who participated!    Funded by James P. Jimirro

In an update to a study we first brought to you on Friday afternoon, ABC and NBC have only spent a combined 17 minutes and 16 seconds through Monday morning on their flagship morning and evening newscasts and Sunday political talk shows covering the latest out of the Somali community in Minneapolis, but only 21 percent (or three minutes and 35 seconds) of that was spent on the rampant welfare fraud scheme, which was the entire impetus for the headlines. The rest? It was spent demonizing President Trump’s comments excoriating those who came here and broke our laws. Overall, ABC, CBS, and NBC have now spent 36 minutes and 41 seconds on the Twin Cities, but only 31 percent of that (11:28) explained the years-long scheme that stole over $1 billion from taxpayers and led to dozens of convictions. This new Media Research Center tally marked an increase of just over 14 minutes from our first total representing November 30 through December 5 and a slight increase of percentage from fraud coverage from 28 percent (27.7%). ABC did not a single second to its tally from Friday, leaving it at a mere six minutes (6:02) on the Somalis, but only 7 percent (6.9 percent, or 25 seconds) was on the fraud. NBC added a little over two minutes to its overall number — which now stands at 11 minutes and 14 seconds — while its fraud remained the same (2:10) and thus dropped the percentage to 19 percent (from 24 percent last week). The added time came from NBC’s Meet the Press with moderator Kristen Welker lobbing a softball to Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) (click “expand”): WELKER: [L]et me kind of push this conversation forward a little bit and have you respond to some of the rhetoric at least that we are hearing. This week, President Trump referred to people in the Somalian community as, quote, unquote, "garbage," even singling out Congressman Ilhan Omar. This, of course, a part of his broader crackdown on illegal immigration, but what do you make of the rhetoric that we heard this week from President Trump? CLYBURN: It is incredible. And of course, once again, it is not new. The number – seventh guy on this list of eight, Thomas Miller, was referred to as a canary. And number eight on that list, George Washington Murray, was nicknamed "the Black Crow." This kind of nicknaming that took place after the Civil War trying to discredit the people of color is exactly what we’re seeing now. People see all these nicknames denigrating people, devaluing their existence. That is not the kind of stuff of which our country has been made. We got over that after the 1954 Supreme Court decision. Why should we start back in that direction? And so when you look at the Somalians out in Minnesota, Ilhan Omar, she is one incredible young lady who has withstood a lot in her life. And I have defended her and her Somalian brethrens. And I do believe that’s what this country is all about. It is what made us a great country. And what we’ve got to do is continue that trek toward a more perfect union. We’ll never be perfect, but we should always be in pursuit of perfection. And we don’t do that by turning back the clock and having a future for our children and grandchildren much like the past was for my parents and grandparents. That’s not the American way. Not to be left out was CBS and its three newscasts of CBS Mornings, the CBS Evening News, and Face the Nation. Along with fraud-less Minneapolis coverage on CBS Saturday Morning and Saturday’s Weekend News, an interview with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on Face the Nation added over 11 minutes and five minutes and 16 seconds of welfare fraud discussion. But, as our Jorge Bonilla wrote, host Margaret Brennan gave Omar “a tour-de-force in media coddling” and “a kid-gloves interview that cast her as the victim of unfortunate events beyond her control.” Bonilla noted Brennan merely would set up the questions with a rough retelling of her ties to this fraud ring and then allowing her free reign to knock it down: CBS's Margaret Brennan opens her softball interview with Rep. Ilhan Omar by allowing her to deflect from her ties to the Feeding our Future fraud: TL;DR: "Some donors did something." pic.twitter.com/iYpkbbeCub — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) December 7, 2025   This interview sent CBS’s sum to 19 minutes and 25 seconds, far ahead of ABC and CBS combined. However, the percentage spent telling viewers the truth about the Twin Cities uproar fell below 50 percent to roughly 46 percent (45.75 percent).