Young trial starts
Might remember from last month (December 11th, or if you’re really challenged Young again ) the story of the Navy vet from the Afghan evacuation – he was helping people get out and CNN smeared him. Some more to the story as the trial opened last week.
Young believes CNN “destroyed his reputation and business” by branding him an “illegal profiteer” who exploited “desperate Afghans.” 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry, who is presiding over the trial in Bay County, Florida, has ruled that Young “did not act illegally or criminally” despite what the network reported on air.
“In August 2021, as American troops withdrew from Afghanistan under President Biden’s orders, the world braced for the Taliban’s return to power. Anyone watching the news at that time witnessed the chaotic situation that unfolded as millions of people attempted to flee the war-torn country,” attorney Kyle Roche said to kick off the plaintiff’s opening statement.
“But CNN reporters, sitting at their desks in Washington, D.C., wanted to tell Americans an even more sensational story,” Roche continued. “They had received a tip that Zachary Young, a veteran and CIA-trained operative, was illegally preying on desperate Afghans in a black market operation.”
As the attorney said, it’s OK to report a story like that – unless it isn’t true.
“It tried to get evidence that Zach was charging Afghans but everyone it spoke to either said that they had never heard of Zach, or that Zach only worked with corporations like Bloomberg that wanted to pay professionals like Zach to get their people out of the country,” he continued. “The facts didn’t matter. CNN felt that they had a sensational story that would drive ratings, and they didn’t care about the truth.”
Don’t you just hate it when facts ruin a good story?
Roche then told the jury about internal communications in which CNN employees used profanities and disparaging language when privately discussing Young.
Roche told the jurors that Young successfully evacuated 22 women out of Afghanistan on behalf of Audible and Bloomberg, which are American companies that hired him to ensure specific people made it out of the country safely.
“You’re going to hear how this story turned Zach’s life upside down, despite warnings from CNN’s own employees that this story had ‘more holes than Swiss cheese,’” Roche said, hinting at internal communications that revealed some CNN staffers were skeptical of the story before it aired.
Roche reminded jurors that the court had already ruled Young didn’t break any laws by receiving money from Afghans. Fox News
But it wasn’t just glittering generalities… more meaty fare is afoot.
The messages between senior reporter Katie Bo Lillis and Zachary Young were exchanged before a segment featuring Young was broadcast. During the exchange, Young told Bo Lillis several times that he did not want to be named in the segment.
Young said he heard that CNN was asking about him.
“I thought perhaps you needed assistance rescuing Afghans,” Young said. “I’d rather not be named in any reporting.”
Bo Lillis then asked Young to chat off the record so she could give him a sense of what CNN was working on.
“Sure, if you will agree I won’t be named in any article,” Young wrote.
Bo Lillis said she “can’t promise that in advance, unfortunately.”
“But if you do agree to speak ‘off-the-record’ that guarantees that any reporting we have won’t reflect that you spoke to us,” Bo Lillis said.
When Bo Lillis asked Young about the price model for his services, he said, “Pricing depends on local resource availability at any given time in a highly unstable environment.” He added that the people of Afghanistan are not expected to pay the evacuation costs, and he works with corporate sponsors with the resources to support the effort.
“I do quite a lot, whether they have a sponsor behind them or not,” Young wrote. “I’m sure whoever brought me to your attention knows that and has their own motivation for promoting slander. Again, please make sure you have your facts aligned before taking a few text messages and running with it.” Newsweek
“Young Network News”? YNN? I like the sound of that.
Category: "Teh Stoopid", Afghanistan, Crime
I hope you’ll laugh hard all the way to the bank, my friend — and have yourself a big cigar for the trip.
CNN needs to be buried in an unmarked grave.
Mark it, so we can piss on them.
Which line will be longer…the line to piss on Hanoi Jane’s or the line to piss on Commie News Network?
That gives me an idea. I’ll start a hydration and coffee stand between those locations so folks can water both.
Pisstubes with a tee fitting, pipes to each location.
We’re gonna want backflow preventers….just sayin’
And beer for refreshment.
Is there any money left at CNN after paying out the previous settlements for defamation and slander? Zach Young can now join the exclusive club of Nick Sandman and Kyle Rittenhouse.
I remember when CNN didn’t suck and was the first all news network to provide live coverage unedited of the 1991 Gulf War…I remember their reporting from a hotel in Baghdad…
For the last 30 plus years I’ve watched them take a downward spiral into irrelevance…and no one there seems to be able to understand the why of that downward spiral…
But they have recently done much additional damage to themselves by failing to fact check far too many stories before they broadcast…I am reminded of their coverage of the Covington High School abortion protest, and the resulting payoff they had to make to young Mr. Sandmann…
This current issue might not be their last payout.
I don’t have a TV, never had cable and can honestly say I have
never watched CNN. I get my news from the fact checkers at TAH.
The only time I ever watched the Chicken Noodle News network on somewhat regular basis was back during Gulf War I, when I believe AFN carried it as part of their “international” news feed.
I recall watching PBS over the air back in the 70’s when
Angus King was just a liberal panelist.
That was before cable and analog VHF was king (no pun).
From the Washington Free Beacon:
https://freebeacon.com/media/star-cnn-star-reporter-refuses-to-apologize-to-navy-vet-he-threatened-to-nail-as-bombshell-defamation-case-continues/
Loves stroking his ego in the form of “lookit mah Emmy Awards.”
No one gives a shit. They aren’t awarded by some higher power — it’s arrogant, ego driven pricks Dutch Ruddering their arrogant, ego driven prick friends. And as we learned from Obama — this even applies to the Nobel Prize.
This dude’s going down in flames.
“…. to chat off the record….”
WHY would anyone with more then one brain cell to rub together ever want to talk to the LameStream Media?
They’ll take whatever you say (off or on the record) and twist and edit to suit their own agenda, usually NOT to your own best interest.
You don’t hate the media enough.
💯 ^^^^THIS^^^^
CNN? The purveyors of delusions like; ConVaids, Russian collusion, fake wars, ‘insurrection(s)’, climate hoaxes?
The same company (read: extension of the incorporated state) who ignores illegal spying of We,…, of the Executive, looks the other way about mis and mal-administration?
The same CNN who licks every boot and shaft presented in order to benefit them, irrespective of anything approaching ethics?
Hey, CNN. Fuck you.
That is all.
(also, Mister Young might not be a saint but I wish him success)
One more payment and they will have to change their slogan to “This was CNN.”
I wonder how much the “CNN” logo and trademark would sell for? Imagine the fun one could have if one owned that. Turn it into something so laughable (even more than now, per Alinsky’s fifth “Rules For Radicals”)