Outlets Retract Reports That FBI Warned Giuliani

The Hill reports:

The New York Times, The Washington Post and NBC News walked back their reporting about FBI’s communication with President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani regarding Russia.

The Washington Post was the first to report on Thursday that Giuliani was warned that he was the target of a Russian influence campaign last year. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, also reported that One America News (OANN) was given similar warning.

But the Post issued a correction on Saturday saying that it removed assertions that Giuliani and OANN had received such warnings.

Here’s what the WaPo report now says:

The FBI became aware in late 2019 that Rudolph W. Giuliani was the target of a Russian influence operation aimed at circulating falsehoods intended to damage President Biden politically ahead of last year’s election, according to people familiar with the matter.

Officials planned to warn Giuliani as part of an extensive effort by the bureau to alert members of Congress and at least one conservative media outlet, One America News, that they faced a risk of being used to further Russia’s attempt to influence the election’s outcome, said several current and former U.S. officials.

As you’d expect, MAGA world has leapt upon the retractions with their usual bleating about fake news and so-called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

New York Times, WaPo, NBC retract reports about Giuliani’s contact with FBI https://t.co/uSL1lbIgV8 pic.twitter.com/mYcgK39t1l

— The Hill (@thehill) May 2, 2021