Wall Street Journal excoriates media for pro-Mueller, pro-Fusion GPS coverage in scathing editorial

The Wall Street Journal editorial board tore into the mainstream media in an editorial Tuesday.

What did the Journal say?

In short, the Journal’s editorial board excoriated the Washington press corps for their “groupthink” and outrage for anyone who questions special prosecutor Robert Mueller or Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm hired by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the DNC that compiled the Trump-Russia dossier.

"One reason so few Americans trust the Washington press corps is its pattern of groupthink that denigrates anyone who breaks from the conventional wisdom,” the board wrote.

In recent days, the Journal has published several editorials criticizing Mueller, Democrats and the media for their innocuous reporting on Mueller’s investigation and Fusion. The newspaper has admittedly had "criticism heaped upon” them for the editorials.

However, one news outlet was the target of the latest editorial.

Which outlet was it?

The Journal’s editors heavily criticized Politico for not disclosing the employer of a source they recently used in a story criticizing the Journal for its truth-telling on Fusion.

"One of the dirty little secrets in Washington is that Fusion is a longtime source for journalists, planting political hits that Fusion is paid by third parties to dig up. Now the press corps is defending its meal ticket, often without reporting honestly about Fusion and how it works,” the editors wrote.

Politico on Monday ran a story criticizing the Journal for a recent editorial that questioned Mueller and Democrats’ funding of Fusion. One of the sources Politico quoted was Neil King, who Politico said is a "former WSJ editor.” In reality, King is a current Fusion employee who used to work for the Journal.

The editors said:

So Politico quotes an employee of Fusion to attack The Wall Street Journal for criticizing Fusion. Even better, Mr. Schwartz didn’t tell his readers that Mr. King has worked for Fusion. Mr. Schwartz also failed to point out that Mr. King’s wife, Shailagh Murray, also a former Journal reporter, worked in the Obama White House. Perhaps Mr. Schwartz understands that this kind of political incestuousness is so routine in Washington that even to mention it would get him drummed out of the club.

Did Politico respond?

Yes, with a “clarification” to their story.

"CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story failed to mention Neil King’s work for Fusion GPS,” the bottom of the story now reads.

Has there been any other shady reporting on Fusion?

Simple answer: Yes.

The Daily Caller reported last week that a CNN reporter who has led his network’s coverage of the Trump-Russia dossier has extensive connections to the founders of Fusion GPS, yet he never disclosed the close personal relationships.