User:EtienneDolet/CNN



In June 2017, conservative political activist and founder of Project Veritas James O'Keefe released an undercover video showing a CNN staffer criticizing CNN's coverage of the Donald Trump–Russia connection and another undercover video of a CNN commentator discussing the connection. Bonifield is seen claiming that CNN's coverage of Trump boosts its ratings and that the Trump-Russia connection is "mostly bullshit". CNN stood behind Bonifield's statements as expressions of his personal opinion. In another video, CNN commentator Van Jones is shown saying "the Russia thing is just a big nothing burger" during an undercover conversation with a Project Veritas reporter. Jones criticized the release of the video, noting that important context was edited out of the conversation and that O'Keefe was misrepresenting his positions and beliefs.

The videos were released under the label "American Pravda".

Background
This publication follows CNN's retraction of an article falsely connecting Anthony Scaramucci to a Russian investment fund, which resulted in resignation of three CNN journalists.

O'Keefe has a reputation for publishing selectively edited undercover videos targetting left and left-leaning groups.

John Bonifield
On June 26, 2017, O'Keefe published secretly-recorded conversations between an undercover staffer and John Bonifield, producer of health and medical stories for CNN. Bonifield is seen criticizing CNN's coverage of the Donald Trump–Russia connection, claiming that CNN's coverage of Trump boosts its ratings and that the Trump-Russia connection is "mostly bullshit". In the same video, Bonifield, who is not part of the network's political coverage team, also states that he has not come across enough evidence to incriminate Trump and that Trump may be right in saying that there is a "witch-hunt" targeting him. Bonifield also said that CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a meeting: "Just to give you some context, President Trump pulled out of the climate accords and for a day and a half we covered the climate accords. And the CEO of CNN said in our internal meeting, he said good job everybody covering the climate accords, but we’re done with that, let’s get back to Russia."

The video identified Bonifield as a "supervising producer", suggesting that he had a senior decision making role.

Van Jones
Part 2 of the series showed CNN commentator Van Jones saying "the Russia thing is just a big nothing burger" during a conversation with an undercover Project Veritas reporter. Jones has regularly downplayed the possibility of collusion between Trump and Russia saying, although he's glad it's being investigated it's not something Democrats should focus on.

In a reply published on CNN.com, Jones called O'Keefe's video a "hoax," stating that O'Keefe deceptively edited the footage to take his remarks out of context. Jones rebutted that while he strongly believes that "there probably was collusion" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, left-leaning and particularly progressive activists should not expect special counselor Robert Mueller's findings to end Trump's presidency. That way, the investigation into the Trump campaign's collusion with Russia is a "nothing burger" regardless of the conclusions of the investigation.

Jimmy Carr
Part 3 of the series showed CNN associate producer Jimmy Carr calling American voters "stupid as shit." He attacks Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, calling her an "awful woman" and stating that she "looks like she got hit with a shovel". Carr also stated that among those who work at CNN: "Ninety percent of us are on board with just the fact that [Trump's] crazy."

CNN response
In a statement, CNN said it "stands by" Bonifield and supports its employees' expressions of personal opinion.

When inquired by The Daily Beast on the second undercover video, a CNN spokesperson responded "LOL" (internet acronym for laughing out loud).

Response by government and state authorities
On 28 June 2017, both videos were posted on Donald Trump's official Instagram account.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders advised during a White House press briefing "everybody across the country to take a look at it" adding that she did not know whether or not it was accurate.