Breitbart Editor Claims CNN Misrepresented Private Comment For Article, Calls Writer A ‘Lying Scumbag’

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The editor-in-chief of Breitbart’s London branch claimed a CNN article on internal Breitbart communications misrepresented one of his comments that referred to Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer as “collusion.”

CNN obtained and then published internal Breitbart communications in the aftermath of the revelation that Don Jr. met a Russian-connected lawyer expecting dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government.

Someone on Breitbart’s Slack channel — a messaging app — apparently passed a handful of messages over to CNN reporter Oliver Darcy, who led his story with a comment from Breitbart London editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam.

“So like, this is straight up collusion,” Kassam is reported as saying. “Right?” Darcy wrote that Kassam’s comment showed he “reacted to the story of Donald Trump Jr.’s newly-released emails in a way that wouldn’t typically be expected from someone at the far-right outfit, which is a reliable supporter of President Trump.”

Kassam disagreed with the way CNN portrayed his comment in an emailed statement to The Daily Caller.

“CNN took a tongue in cheek question, in a private context and setting, and isolated one line to make it look like a statement of fact or judgement,” he said. “Frankly, it speaks to their penchant for fake news that they’d do this, and I’m flattered they place such a high value on my sardonic questions.”

Kassam also said that CNN did not reach out to him for comment regarding his message. Darcy’s story noted that he reached out to a Breitbart spokesperson, who declined to comment, “for a response from the outlet and from the participants in the conversation.” Darcy declined to comment on the record for this story.

A Slack message from Breitbart’s Washington editor, Matthew Boyle was also featured in the CNN story. Boyle downplayed the Don Jr. story.

“I mean I don’t take this as a smoking gun at all,” Boyle was quoted as saying. “This is silly.”

The only two other Breitbart employees quoted in the article were senior editor Rebecca Mansour — who is quoted as saying, “Wow” — and deputy politics editor Amanda House, who wrote, “???????”

Darcy claimed that Breitbart’s internal messages were “emblematic of a larger sense of confusion that appeared to grip much of the pro-Trump media following the bombshell release of the Donald Trump Jr. emails.”

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Breitbart News‘ Raheem Kassam calls CNN’s Oliver Darcy a ‘lying scumbag’ 

The argument came after what was supposed to be a private, internal convo within Breitbart seemed to indicate that Kassam, Breitbart News‘s London Bureau Chief — who lives in Washington — said Don Jr.’s meeting with the Russian lawyer was “straight up collusion.” He has since explained it was tongue-in-cheek. More of this crappy argument is explained here.

See Darcy’s CNN story here.

The Twitter aftermath got ugly. 

Darcy: Breitbart response is predictable: 1.) Falsely claim never asked for comment. 2.) Shout “FAKE NEWS!” 3.) Plant story in friendly outlet.

Kassam: “The Caller story came out & I sent them my thoughts. I don’t even know anyone there. Do u never tire of being a lying scumbag @OliverDarcy. …That’s not the Breitbart response Liar Darcy. It’s mine. You never asked me for comment. You lied about what I meant. …Breitbart rightly refuses to dignify Darcy with comment. I on the other hand have no problems being undignified.”

Darcy: As my story states, and as I explained to you last night, I did reach out for comment. Breitbart’s spox declined on behalf of company & you.

Kassam: Creepy Darcy thinks I need someone to speak for me. CNN are so dumb. As if activating enemies like me is what they need right now.

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Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].

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