The WaPo reaches a rarified level of dishonesty by claiming Bernie Sander's supporting D.C. baseball shooter might have listened to a right wing radio talk show when its clear he listened to Rachel Maddow.and and was a committed Leftist.

Washington Post gets eviscerated for connecting leftist baseball shooter to right-wing radio host

Chris Enloe  3 hours

The Washington Post was heavily criticized over the weekend for apparently connecting left-wing shooter James Hodgkinson to a right-wing radio host. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) 

The Washington Post took lots of heat over the weekend after the outlet published a story that appeared to connect last month’s leftist baseball shooter to a right-wing radio host.

James Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, opened fire last month on a group of congressional Republicans at a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, who were practicing for the annual Republican versus Democrat baseball game that raises money for charity. 

Hodgkinson was able to wound four people, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), before being shot by a Capitol Police officer who was part of Scalise’s security detail. Hodgkinson later died of his injuries.

On the day of the shooting, it was quickly discovered that Hodgkinson was an ultra-progressive Democrat who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during last year’s election. Hodgkinson’s social media postings also revealed that he had a deep hatred for President Donald Trump and Republicans. All of that evidence led investigators to point to politics as Hodgkinson’s motive.

But that didn’t stop the Post from apparently alleging Saturday that Hodgkinson was partly inspired by a pro-Trump, right-wing radio host in his hometown.

The news outlet in a story titled, “In Alexandria shooter’s hometown, rage-filled radio host channels middle America’s inner frustration,” profiled local Belleville radio host Bob Romanik. The story describes Romanik as a racist, pro-Trump supporter who blames crime on black people.

While Romanik’s radio audience may largely be filled with Republicans and white people, the Post story also connected “disenfranchised Democrats” to Romanik by quoting remarks the radio host recently made.

“I can’t say for sure if this Hodgkinson guy listened to me, but he probably did,” Romanik said recently, according to the Post. “If people would be honest about what drove Hodgkinson to the point of violence, you’d probably see a lot of people right on the same page with him all over the country. But around here, for sure.”

Needless to say, Twitter was pretty fired up about the story and people were quick to rebuke the Post. After all, Hodginson’s own social media postings describe perfectly how he felt about non-liberals.

Similarly, the New York Times also tried to downplay the role that Democratic politics played in Hodgkinson’s decision to attack the GOP congressmen just days after the attack happened while Scalise was still in the hospital fighting for his life.

Similarly, the New York Times also tried to downplay the role that Democratic politics played in Hodgkinson’s decision to attack the GOP congressmen just days after the attack happened while Scalise was still in the hospital fighting for his life.