The New York Times met with backlash for what critics described as a misleading statement in response to Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s claim on Monday night that the newspaper was going to reveal where his family lives.
“Last week, The New York Times began working on a story about where my family and I live,” Carlson said during the final minutes of his show. “So why is The New York Times doing a story on the location of my family’s house? Well, you know why. To hurt us, to injure my wife and kids so that I will shut up and stop disagreeing with them. They believe in force.”
“Their story about where we live is slated to run in the paper this week,” Carlson later added. “Editors there know exactly what will happen to my family when it does run. I called them today and I told them. But they didn’t care. They hate my politics. They want the show off the air. If one of my children gets hurt because of a story they wrote, they won’t consider it collateral damage, they know it’s the whole point of the exercise: To inflict pain on our family, to terrorize us, to control what we say. That’s the kind of people they are.”
Carlson mentioned how he and his family had to move after left-wing activists attacked his home in 2018.
The New York Times’s public relations Twitter account denied the claim in a tweet, writing: “[The New York Times] does not plan to publish Tucker Carlson’s residence, which Carlson was aware of before his broadcast tonight.”
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof doubled down on the paper’s claim, writing: “Tucker Carlson denounced a supposed plan by the [New York Times] to publish his home address. The only problem: There was no such plan, as he knew.”
Tucker Carlson denounced a supposed plan by the @nytimes to publish his home address. The only problem: There was no such plan, as he knew. https://t.co/S2pV4YYice
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 21, 2020
However, the statement from The New York Times’s official public relations account and from Kristof are misleading because Carlson never said that the newspaper was going to release the home address of where he lived. Carlson said that the paper was working on a story “on the location of” his family’s home and “where my family and I live,” which are broader statements.
Journalist Yashar Ali tweeted: “I’m not sure where everyone is getting this idea that the NYT is planning on publishing Tucker’s address. Tucker himself does not allege that they are. They are working on a story about the town in which he lives. But, given what I know, I fail to see the newsworthiness.”
“Tucker provides plenty for the NYT to cover on his show. PLENTY,” Ali added. “I just don’t see how a national outlet needs to focus on the town in which he lives. It’s the kind of thing that distracts from the real story and the important reporting that should be done on his program.”
2. Tucker provides plenty for the NYT to cover on his show. PLENTY. I just don't see how a national outlet needs to focus on the town in which he lives. It's the kind of thing that distracts from the real story and the important reporting that should be done on his program.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 21, 2020
Online, commentators questioned the statement that the Times released about the ordeal.
Stephen Miller wrote: “We weren’t going to take photos of his address. Just his house and neighborhood, which could easily be found using google maps or google earth. The same media that doxxes random gif makers and forklift operators? Yeah, think I’m going with Carlson on this one.”
We weren't going to take photos of his address. Just his house and neighborhood, which could easily be found using google maps or google earth.
The same media that doxxes random gif makers and forklift operators? Yeah, think I'm going with Carlson on this one. https://t.co/hKQBhvzdDB
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 21, 2020
The Daily Caller’s Greg Price wrote: “Notice how they didn’t deny that they in fact sent journalists to find out where he moved to and take pictures of his house, which people can easily find on Google maps. This newspaper is garbage.”
Notice how they didn't deny that they in fact sent journalists to find out where he moved to and take pictures of his house, which people can easily find on Google maps. This newspaper is garbage. https://t.co/bN9qT80bjJ
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 21, 2020
Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli responded to a tweet that stated that the Times was “deliberately encouraging violence against him” by saying “that is clearly their intent.”
That is clearly their intent https://t.co/bq0r1TeVHS
— Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli (@HomelandKen) July 21, 2020
“The View” co-host Meghan McCain wrote on Twitter: “This is extremely dangerous and a weird new norm. Even printing his neighborhood or building or home area is really dangerous. Why people feel comfortable doing this to people with whom their politics they hate is sick. It is the most violating thing in the entire world.”
This is extremely dangerous and a weird new norm. Even printing his neighborhood or building or home area is really dangerous. Why people feel comfortable doing this to people with whom their politics they hate is sick. It is the most violating thing in the entire world. https://t.co/hI67GEcaYq
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) July 21, 2020