After “shopping around” an email which made it look like CNN scripted questions to the NRA from Parkland, Florida high school shooting survivors at CNN’s town hall, Glenn Haab, the father of Stoneman Douglas junior Colton Haab, admitted to doctoring the emails, according to the Associated Press.
The initial crux of the issue was Haab’s relatively lengthy set of talking points and questions he wanted to present at the town hall. CNN asked him to focus on one question he submitted so everyone could have a chance at addressing Senator Marco Rubio or the NRA’s Dana Loesch.
The emails between Colton and CNN were polite and direct, while Glenn Haab’s were slightly more contentious. Haab wrote a response saying “they are not actors,” the background for each question was relevant, and that “I [sic] you want Colton to only read this one short question – we are not the right people for your town hall meeting.”
After not attending the town hall, Haab then submitted the altered communication, which removed any indication that the question Colton was to ask was submitted to CNN by Colton himself, to Fox News. This led to airtime for his son on a segment with Tucker Carlson and a tweet from President Donald Trump, which were based on a fraudulent email.
“School shooting survivor says he quit @CNN Town Hall after refusing scripted question.” @TuckerCarlson. Just like so much of CNN, Fake News. That’s why their ratings are so bad! MSNBC may be worse.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2018
CNN responded to these claims via its official public relations Twitter account.
There is absolutely no truth to this story — and we can prove that. CNN did not provide or script questions for anyone in last night's town hall, nor have we ever. Those are the facts. #FactsFirst 🍎
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 23, 2018
After the metadata was uncovered and Haab’s father was exposed, a CNN spokesperson told Business Insider “It is unfortunate that an effort to discredit CNN and the town hall with doctored emails has taken any attention away from the purpose of the event. However, when presented with doctored email exchanges, we felt the need to set the record straight.”
Glenn Haab told the AP that “There was nothing malicious behind it.”
You can see the altered and unaltered emails here.
(Via Business Insider/Daily Beast)