Taxpayer-funded NPR announced Thursday on Twitter that it is not covering the Hunter Biden laptop scandal because it’s not really a story, which prompted widespread backlash online.
“Why haven’t you seen any stories from NPR about the NY Post’s Hunter Biden story?” NPR wrote on Twitter.
NPR then answered the question, writing: “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.”
Almost instantly, the tweet sparked accusations of bias, which comes after one of Hunter Biden’s former business partners said in a statement on Thursday that Hunter Biden allegedly asked his father, Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden, to “sign-off” on his business deals. The statement contradicts Joe Biden’s public statements that he never spoke to his son about his son’s overseas business dealings.
Top political and media figures responded immediately to the tweet, expressing shock and disgust.
Donald Trump Jr. wrote: “Amazing that @NPR actually has the balls to post this bullshit the same day this text message was released, directly implicating Joe Biden in Hunter’s corrupt schemes. The media is doing everything they can to protect Joe Biden & hide the truth from the American people! #JoeKnew”
Amazing that @NPR actually has the balls to post this bullshit the same day this text message was released, directly implicating Joe Biden in Hunter's corrupt schemes.
The media is doing everything they can to protect Joe Biden & hide the truth from the American people! #JoeKnew https://t.co/6ZUBmc4SSc pic.twitter.com/L6IDh4UxXh
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 22, 2020
Trump Jr. added: “Defund NPR. American taxpayer dollars should not be out there being utilized to push false propaganda and cover up for Joe Biden’s corruption! It’s been corroborated with a third-party witness who is on the emails what a disgrace NPR has become.”
Defund NPR. American taxpayer dollars should not be out there being utilized to push false propaganda and cover up for Joe Biden’s corruption!
It’s been corroborated with a third-party witness who is on the emails what a disgrace NPR has become. https://t.co/4qXRTWLZa2
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 22, 2020
Liberal journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote: “Just be honest and say you won’t report any stories that reflect poorly on Biden because you believe it’s so vital that Trump lose that anything is justified — including suppressing reporting — to ensure it happens. People know this is the reality of the national press. Why lie?”
Just be honest and say you won’t report any stories that reflect poorly on Biden because you believe it’s so vital that Trump lose that anything is justified — including suppressing reporting — to ensure it happens.
People know this is the reality of the national press. Why lie? https://t.co/pKHatA6uHi
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 22, 2020
British media personality Piers Morgan wrote: “WHAT? This is so weird. What is going on with US journalism??”
WHAT? This is so weird.
What is going on with US journalism?? https://t.co/f3fL8VyjdL— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 22, 2020
Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell wrote: “NPR will ignore Hunter Biden emails. This is activism. Call your local NPR affiliate and complain.”
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1319291578477805576
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway wrote: “NPR proudly announces it is more openly aligning itself with Joe Biden’s campaign, in this case by covering up a major Biden scandal and indisputably important national news story so that it can assist their preferred candidate.”
NPR proudly announces it is more openly aligning itself with Joe Biden's campaign, in this case by covering up a major Biden scandal and indisputably important national news story so that it can assist their preferred candidate. https://t.co/A1mJ5ttl4O
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 22, 2020
Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll wrote: “Meanwhile Hunter’s business partner literally just confirmed that Joe Biden was part of these Chinese business deals, deals he said were obvious ‘influence’ operations.”
Meanwhile Hunter's business partner literally just confirmed that Joe Biden was part of these Chinese business deals, deals he said were obvious "influence" operations …. https://t.co/H0z84dgSnZ
— Geoffrey Ingersoll (@GPIngersoll) October 22, 2020
Faithwire news editor Tré Goins-Phillips wrote: “Imagine this statement being written about a story regarding the Trump family. I can’t.”
https://twitter.com/tregp/status/1319294274991616000
Historian Conrad Black wrote: “This is astounding. NPR, rather than investigating allegations of Biden-family corruption and then reporting their findings, are instead preemptively issuing denials on behalf of Joe Biden that he himself has not yet publicly responded to. This is not how journalism works.”
This is astounding. NPR, rather than investigating allegations of Biden-family corruption and then reporting their findings, are instead preemptively issuing denials on behalf of Joe Biden that he himself has not yet publicly responded to. This is not how journalism works. https://t.co/EnCPnROSbH
— Conrad Black (@ConradMBlack) October 22, 2020
Washington Examiner Chief Congressional Correspondent Susan Ferrechio wrote: “‘Not really a story.’ Boggles the mind. NPR covered Steele Dossier with great enthusiasm. Taxpayer funded. ‘Federal funding is essential to public radio’s service to the American public. Its continuation is critical for both stations and program producers, including NPR.'”
"Not really a story." Boggles the mind. NPR covered Steele Dossier with great enthusiasm. Taxpayer funded. "Federal funding is essential to public radio's service to the American public. Its continuation is critical for both stations and program producers, including NPR." https://t.co/VpV16sMn8H
— Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) October 22, 2020
