| | | | | Trump demands NYT retract this story | | "Two Women Say They Endured Trump's Sexual Aggression" is how it started. The NYT published its story around 6:45pm. The Trump campaign denounced it as "fiction." But the accusers had compelling on-the-record accounts, supported by others who heard the accounts many months/years ago. The NYT released a video of one of the women recounting what happened. Two out of the three big cable news channels covered the back-and-forth every hour of the evening.
The Palm Beach Post published a separate story about a woman who claimed Trump groped her. And then at 10:45pm People magazine published a first-person account by one of its writers, Natasha Stoynoff, alleging that she was physically attacked by Trump at Mar-A-Lago while writing a profile on Trump's one-year wedding anniversary to his wife Melania.
The Trump campaign told People, "This never happened. There is no merit or veracity to this fabricated story."
Now it's after midnight on Wednesday, and these stories are clearly going to drive the morning news cycle... | | | Will Trump hold a press conference? Or grant a TV interview? Or... ? | | | What will Trump do in response? Will he tweet? He's scheduled to hold a 12pm rally in West Palm Beach... | | | This is not "drip, drip, drip" | | Dylan Byers emails: Accusations like this usually come out drip, drip, drip.... Wednesday night, the floodgates opened.
Here's our full story, which will continue to be updated all morning... | | | The key: Sunday's debate question | | The Trump campaign narrative is that these stories are "politically motivated" less than one month before the election. This is a narrative many conservatives are predisposed to believe.
The other narrative is that these women were motivated by Sunday's debate denial. Anderson Cooper had to ask three times before Trump answered the key question. On the "Access Hollywood" tape, Cooper said, you're describing sexual assault. "Have you ever done those things?" Trump eventually answered: "No, I have not."
NYT's Michael Barbaro, who co-bylined Wednesday's story, tweeted: "This story might not have happened unless @andersoncooper had asked the pointed questions he did at debate." | | | Megan Twohey's busy 3 days | | Barbaro and Megan Twohey, who wrote this new story, also co-wrote May's "Crossing the Line: How Donald Trump Behaved With Women in Private" story.
Twohey told me that one of the women, Rachel Crooks, reached out to the NYT after that story, but was initially reluctant to be named. The other woman, Jessica Leeds, "contacted us after Sunday's debate." The story describes how Leeds "wanted to punch the screen" of the TV when Trump denied any inappropriate touching...
-- MSNBC's Benjy Sarlin tweets: "'Every news org started looking into this after the tape' + 'Women started coming forward' seems a lot more plausible than 'oppo mastermind...'"
-- The Federalist's MZ Hemingway: "I'm fascinated by how all the stories broke at once. And how Twitter serves the amplification process..." | | Now, I haven't mentioned Trump's threats to sue the NYT yet. That's on purpose. Is he really going to sue the Paper of Record over this? Well... he is certainly threatening to do it...
#1: When Twohey interviewed Trump by phone Tuesday night, "he threatened to sue us if we published these allegations," Twohey said. (Trump yelled at her and called her a "disgusting human being" during the interview.)
#2: Then, on Wednesday afternoon, Twohey received a legal letter from a Trump attorney. The paper went ahead and published the story.
#3: Around 10pm came word from Trump sources that a lawsuit was in the works. At 12:20am came... not a lawsuit... but a demand for a retraction. "Your article is reckless, defamatory and constitutes libel per se," Marc E. Kasowitz, a lawyer representing Trump, wrote to NYT exec editor Dean Baquet. Trump wants a retraction and an apology, but that's not going to happen...
-- In our story, Dylan Byers notes: The letter lacks any substantive facts to cast doubt on the Times story, and is not a lawsuit... | | | Before Kasowitz's letter came through, Baquet told me this: "I think it is pretty evident this story falls clearly in the realm of public service journalism, and discussing issues that arose from the tape and his comments since it surfaced..." | | | Dylan Byers emails: This is a key reason to believe Trump won't file suit: Any news organization he sues will have the opportunity to pursue discovery and request information on Trump's entire sexual history, because Trump would have the burden of proving falsity and actual malice... | | | The story is "below the fold" in Thursday's print edition... | | | Trump camp threatening to sue the accusers? | | Late Wednesday night, I quoted a "high-ranking source within the campaign" as saying that "NYT editors, reporters, politically motivated accusers better lawyer up."
Really? Suing the women? | | | "A campaign of intimidation" | | Barbaro objected to the publication of the quote. He tweeted: "Journalists using blind quotes from Trump Land to warn women to 'lawyer up' are abetting a campaign of intimidation, no?"
Later in the evening, WashPost's Robert Costa said he agreed with Barbaro that the legal threats are "intimidation tactics." Costa wrote: "Based on my reporting, Trump orbit on edge about possible coming wave of allegations, hence intimidating talk of legal threats..." | | -- UAW field director Eric Heggie tweets: "The women who came forward are incredibly brave for doing so. Don't envy what they are about to go through..."
-- Ana Marie Cox: "Something like that happened to me when I was young and I couldn't do anything about it... Trump is a predator..."
-- Trump advisor A.J. Delgado on MSNBC: These allegations are "not credible... women are smearing him with false allegations..."
-- THR has this look at how other "Trump talking heads" sought to discredit the stories...
-- Clinton campaign press secretary Brian Fallon: "Trump's lawyer's letter is meaningless. Baquet will line his birdcage with it..."
- I'll be on "New Day" talking about all this at 8:50am Thursday... | | This is notable, of course, since Megyn Kelly reportedly said Roger Ailes harassed her years ago. Kelly has not spoken publicly about the harassment or about Ailes' departure from Fox. Ailes, a longtime friend of Trump, is known to be giving Trump campaign advice.
Kelly said on the air: "The truth is that victims of sexual assault, victims of rape, victims of unwanted groping — they often don't come forward. They're humiliated. Especially back in the day, they were told 'Move along, it happens to all women, you've got to take it.' It's a complicated issue." Her friend Dana Perino interjected: "Because it would hurt your career." Kelly agreed: "That's right. It's a complicated situation." | | | What about the third debate? | | Liberal former Obama aide Bill Burton: "To Chris Wallace, moderator of the 3rd debate, godspeed. But my money right now is on The Donald not showing." Conservative WashPost columnist Jennifer Rubin tweets: "Alas I don't think we will get the third debate. His lawyers would have to advise him to take the 5th."
-- Earlier on Wednesday: Wallace announced six topics for the debate... | | | Dylan Byers emails: Trump's support among women, already low to begin with, declined heavily in the wake of the "Access Hollywood" tape. It's a safe bet that tonight's onslaught of accusations will drag the numbers down even further -- perhaps to a point that could put the final nail in the coffin of his presidential campaign... | | | Via NBC's Janet Shamlian: "The actress in the Donald Trump video, Arianne Zucker, breaks her silence in a 'Today' show exclusive Thursday..." | | | No new updates about the exit negotiations today... | | -- Jezebel's Bobby Finger: "Despite this recent drama, I find suggestions that his career is 'over' to be a little much. He is a Bush, after all. They always end up just fine..."
-- People mag quoting a source: "Most people who have worked with Billy would say that sort of behavior was out of character for him..."
-- AP's David Bauder wrote a story I wish I'd thought to write: "Brian Williams and Billy Bush: 2 scandals, 2 approaches" | | | Mark Burnett says "I am NOT pro-Trump" | | Dylan Byers reports: Mark Burnett issued a full-throated criticism of Trump on Wednesday night in an effort to rebut reports that he is protecting Trump by hiding unaired "Apprentice" tapes. (BuzzFeed recently quoted a source describing Burnett as "pro-Trump.")
Burnett said: "Given all of the false media reports, I feel compelled to clarify a few points. I am not now and have never been a supporter of Donald Trump's candidacy. I am NOT 'Pro-Trump.' Further, my wife and I reject the hatred, division and misogyny that has been a very unfortunate part of his campaign..." | | | "Apprentice" owner issues new statement | | | Remember, Burnett sold his production company to MGM last year, so MGM has the footage. On Wednesday night MGM's longtime counsel Marvin S. Putnam said its "agreements typically contain provisions related to confidentiality and artist's rights. MGM has every intention of complying with its agreements with artists and honoring their rights," including with respect to "The Apprentice..." | | | Introducing CNN MoneyStream! | | | CNNMoney managing editor Rich Barbieri emails about this week's MoneyStream launch: It's an app for anyone who loves engaging with news -- print, video, tweets. CNN MoneyStream has it. It's a small team of 6 journalists working to find the stories we -- you and us -- want. No robots. I'm super-grateful for feedback. We built this in less thank six months and want to make it better and better. Email me and I will respond. rich.barbieri@turner.com. Find it on App Store or Google Play. And we launched a blog on Medium to have a running conversation with our readers. It's here... | | | O'Reilly alleges "corruption" | | Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" tonight: "By hacking into Podesta's email, we now know beyond any doubt that the American press is corrupt, at least to some extent." I have lots to say about this, but it'll have to wait til tomorrow...
-- More: Following up on Tuesday's story: A new email "shows Donna Brazile may have had exact wording of proposed town hall question before CNN," Politico's Hadas Gold reports... | | | Via Leezel Tanglao: The executive producer of "The O'Reilly Factor" has agreed to meet with AAJA and several community leaders in the wake of Jesse Watters' offensive Chinatown segment... | | | 26 days till Election Day | | | | Let's talk about Trump's "poll denialism." This week he has been railing against what he calls "crooked polls." By doing this, he's reiterating his "rigged election" theme and giving his supporters license to dismiss the discouraging data. Here's my full story... Admittedly, it's been overshadowed by all of Wednesday night's news, but I still think it's important from a media literacy POV... | | | As Stephen King said today... | | | "I can't wait for this ugly fucking presidential campaign to be over." | | | Conway and Eric Trump tricked by fake news site | | | Wednesday on Twitter, Eric Trump and Kellyanne Conway both promoted an article titled "Trump Protester Speaks Out: 'I Was Paid $3,500 To Protest." The problem is that this is an article from a fake news site. It's been making the rounds and tricking people for months. Snopes debunked it back in March... | | | Reviewing "Killing Reagan" | | | Brian Lowry emails: The hostility directed at "Killing Reagan," Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard's book, by Reagan loyalists -- including O'Reilly's epic on-air spat with George Will -- made me think National Geographic Channel was walking into a buzzsaw with the movie version. But the focus on the shooting and its immediate aftermath, as opposed to the lingering effects on Reagan, should blunt that criticism, even if it makes for a rather bland movie. Read his full review here... | | Via Lisa France:
-- Janet Jackson has finally confirmed that she is indeed pregnant with her first child at the age of 50. People got the exclusive...
-- Kim Kardashian West says she's been victimized twice: Once by robbers in Paris and again by the web site MediaTakeout, which published stories claiming she may have staged the heist. She is suing...
-- Speaking of lawsuits, Gabrielle Union is accusing BET of trying to pull a fast one involving her hit show "Being Mary Jane." Union is taking them to court for trying to make her film back-to-back seasons of the drama... | | Tell us what you think... | | | What do you like about this newsletter? What do you dislike? Send your feedback to reliablesources@cnn.com. We appreciate every email... | | | Get Reliable Sources, a comprehensive summary of the most important media news, delivered to your inbox every afternoon. | | | | | |
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