Posted on 05/05/2025 12:11:12 PM PDT by Signalman
For a network that claims to champion facts, MSNBC found itself doing damage control Monday morning.
On Friday, during a segment on Morning Joe, former FBI assistant director Frank Figliuzzi floated an eyebrow-raising claim about FBI Director Kash Patel, telling viewers that Patel had “been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover Building.”
The insinuation—that the head of the FBI is more concerned with nightlife than national security—was left unchallenged by the show’s hosts at the time.
“There are reports that daily briefings to him have been changed from every day to maybe twice weekly. So this is both a blessing and a curse — because if he’s really trying to run things without his experience, without any experience level, things could be bad. If he’s not plugged in, things could be bad,” Figliuzzi continued.
But come Monday, the network was forced to walk it back.
“We want to circle back to a segment from Friday’s show,” co-host Jonathan Lemire said as he opened the correction. “Frank Figliuzzi was on that morning during this hour discussing the work of administration officials. At the end of that segment, Figliuzzi said that FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly been more visible at nightclubs than at his office at FBI headquarters. This was a misstatement. We have not verified that claim.”
The correction was brief, but the damage had already been done. Viewers pounced on the smear, accusing MSNBC of fabricating narratives to undermine the Trump administration and its allies.
The original comment aired during a discussion about Patel’s leadership style. Figliuzzi, a frequent MSNBC contributor known for his anti-Trump commentary, claimed there was growing disarray inside the FBI under Patel’s watch, stating, “The one word that keeps coming back at me from inside that building is chaos.”
Still, the decision to suggest Patel was shirking his duties in favor of clubbing struck many as a desperate low. Even the Daily Mail picked up the controversy, writing that Figliuzzi “levied a wild accusation” about the new FBI boss without offering any supporting evidence.
Patel, who assumed the FBI directorship on February 20, as part of President Donald Trump’s second-term leadership shake-up, has long been a target of media attacks. Before this role, he served in various senior roles in the Trump administration and gained notoriety for his work on the House Intelligence Committee during the Russia investigation. His rapid rise—and close ties to Trump—have made him a lightning rod for criticism among D.C. insiders and mainstream media pundits.
The retraction is the latest in a series of unforced errors for MSNBC, which has faced mounting criticism over its coverage of Trump’s second term. As of now, Patel has not publicly responded to the nightclub accusation.
So what. All of 15 people saw it, and none would believe the retraction anyway.
“Go Low Joe” performed to expectations.
He’ll be ol’ “Mourning Joe” from here on out, and he’d best lean into it, ‘cuz he and his crocodile tears will be flying solo unless he goes old world and hires professionals.
Why didn't Joe or Mika issue the correction? Or was Lemire brought on just to clean up Joe's and Mika's wild accusations and slander as his full time job?
Sort of like the View having to make retraction statements demanded by the legal department.
If they carried it far enough the View and Morning Joe would be five minutes long after slanders and lies were taken out.
‘The View’ hosts forced to issue four ‘legal notes’ in a single episode spent trashing Trump’s cabinet picks.
By Andrew Court. Nov. 23, 2024.
Because once it is out there people repeat it as fact and then ask those who disbelieve it to "disprove it".
The days of letting people lie about you and meekly taking it are over.
And that is a good thing even if you do not approve.
It certainly isn’t an apology, which is what Patel deserves
The art of the smear as Pelosi called it, make up a lie about someone, make it go viral everywhere, and a few days later say “oops our bad we made a boo boo” but at that point no is listening since everyone heard the lie
This is the very definition of “blinded by hate”.
Amazed on how many stupid people thought highly of the FBI under Bush, Soetero, and Bidet... and still do. Their only chance of every being taken seriously again and not corrupt is under Trump/Patel.
This was a misstatement. We have not verified that claim.
Sounds like Kash Patel should be talking to some of the departments lawyers a good time to make an example of the propaganda agents.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I’m no expert, but I suppose this has been a D tactic for centuries.
Figgy is a POS.
The only chaos is in Figgy’s Grindr date calendar.
That brings up an old saying “Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me”
Someone can be embarrassed if they have a sense of shame.
The leftists don’t.
They say people who take and pass polygraph tests can do so if they lack a sense of shame over telling lies. Many criminals have no such feelings.
Basis of the Nicolas Cage true event movie Frozen Ground,
Robert Hansen, was an American serial killer in Anchorage, Alaska, between 1972 and 1983, abducting, raping and murdering at least seventeen women. Convicted after one young woman lived to testify. In real interviews and transcripts he shows absolutely no guilt or shame and believes his incarceration was unfair.
If Patel has any stones he would sue Figliuzzi for slander since he’s the one who made the ststement.
Paging Karoline Leavitt’s attorneys.
(she just won an $800M judgement against the View & ABC, and has another suit pending)
The FBI is long overdue to investigate death of Lori Klausutis, an intern for Joe Scarborough, who was found dead in his office in 2001.
I still don’t feel that I ‘know’ Kash Patel as a politician or activist very well. I’m not yet sure what is to be expected in his new position. But then, it’s still early in Trump’s second term, so Kash has time to establish his own pattern of action.
I learned what I should or should not expect from Christopher Wray very quickly.
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