AOL Owned Daily Finance Retracts Passage That Libeled Free Republic Over Child Pornography

Thursday, September 23, 2010 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

The AOL-owned site Daily Finance this morning retracted a passage in an article that falsely stated Free Republic hosted child pornography.

The article was about reporter John Cook leaving Yahoo News to return to Gawker. Included in Cook's reasons for leaving, according to Daily Finance reporter Jeff Bercovici, was that Yahoo would not allow him to write about Free Republic "hosting child pornography." The Salon.com article that was linked to support that claim actually stated that Free Republic did not host child pornography.

The offending Daily Finance passage now reads:

"... On similar grounds, he was prohibited from writing about the conservative website Free Republic being used to promote child pornography*..."

A correction added to the end of the article states:

CORRECTION: Originally, this story said Free Republic was hosting child pornography. According to the Salon article that I linked to, Free Republic was not hosting it but being used to direct readers to an outside site that hosted it."

Link to article exposing AOL's libel of FR posted last night.

Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post, who picked up the Daily Finance story last night, posted a clarification this morning. A request for a correction has been made to Nicholas Carlson at the Business Insider who also repeated the false statement by the AOL's Daily Finance.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“That was NOT a retraction.
That was simply a different lie. “

A different lie with fleas.

[DBrow]

From 9-22:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/howard-kurtz/2010/09/reporter_fed_up_with_yahoo.html

[SunkenCiv]

thanks kristinn:

• AOL Libels Free Republic; Web Giant Falsely Accuses Conservative Site of Hosting Child Porn

[lwd]

I think if anyone is going to report this, it should be Jim or an admin. They have the details: ip address, html, offending link. I don’t. All I could offer the FBI is hearsay.

[dynachrome]

My thought was maybe people could add to this thugs problems. Mr. Robinson and Kristinn are the professionals, for sure.

[TheOldLady]

Oh. Never mind...

Someone finally learned the difference between “kiddie” and “kitty,” I see.

[Humidston]

OMG, we’ve been slandered once again. My bet is AOL fired John Cook for posting that tripe.

But John was being paid by AOL when he did it, and is therefore an extension of their organ. (pun intended)

They know they’re in trouble and can’t shake this little worm loose fast enough. SUE, JIMROB. SUE! Lord knows you’ve been sued for much less than this...

[gitmo]

I’ve read both articles. Did the alleged link to a kiddie-porn site ever exist on FR?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I don't understand why Cook has not been criminally charged already by his own admission.

Because like a lot of stuff called "kiddy porn", it probably wasn't really actionable kiddy porn, just a collection of kiddy beach pictures or something that a prosecutor has to have time on his hands to go after with someone he can easily get to plead guilty.

[Tribune7]

Free Republic was not hosting it but being used to direct readers to an outside site that hosted it.

And Salon & HuffPo aren't? Somehow I doubt this.

And good for Yahoo News.

[Tribune7]

The article says "outside side site that hosted it", not a link to child porn.

I'm guessing some troll used inks to pages that didn't have any obvious child porn.

Next thing you know they will be accusing JimRob of witchcraft.

[Tribune7]

“This guy [John Cook] is pretty slimy. He admitted in his Daily KOS journal he added kiddie porn links to profile pages on the website ‘Free Republic’ to play a game and test how long they would last. He then wrote an article accusing the site of hosting those links.. Real slimy fella.”

How did Cook know the sites to which he linked had child porn? He must have looked at them. Wow, John Cook looks at child porn. I'd say I never would have guessed it but since he writes for KOS . . .

[Tribune7]

Sounds like a confession that the FBI might like to see.

Good point.

"Research" isn't a defense from prosecution. Talk to the FBI if the sites showed illegal activity. Bring charges against the bastard. Let's see his pix on Megan's List. We could link to that.

[Onelifetogive]

“This guy [John Cook] is pretty slimy. He admitted in his Daily KOS journal he added kiddie porn links to profile pages on the website ‘Free Republic’ to play a game and test how long they would last. He then wrote an article accusing the site of hosting those links.. Real slimy fella.”

I would not know of any kiddie porn links, and would not know how to find them (I can guarantee you that I'd NEVER google it). This guy, apparently knows of them and has them available to post to FR. Hmmmmmm......