The press is often referred to as the fourth branch of government because of the role it serves in monitoring and reporting on what takes place in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

Journalists serve a crucial role in our society and, for the most part, take their responsibilities seriously, providing truthful, frank, insightful reports on a wide range of topics. They know full well that their coverage can and will influence policymakers in Washington, D.C., and across the country.

But when the media purposely distort the facts to create confusion and mislead people, they must be held accountable. Unless we actively debunk false and misleading reports, we risk leaving the public with a dangerously skewed vision of this country. From the existence of health care “death panels” to the horribly inflated costs of presidential travel, the media is proliferating myths that only serve to deepen the mistrust of government that many people feel. As a fervent defender of the First Amendment, I believe that the best way to fight bad reporting is with good reporting.

As an example, I was recently the victim of bad reporting myself. A network owned by Turner Broadcasting System and Time Warner — truTV — aired a story on Nov. 12 called “The Police State Conspiracy” that contained grossly inaccurate information, insulted victims of the Holocaust and accused me and other elected officials of breaking the law.

The show, “Conspiracy Theory,” is hosted by former wrestler and Gov. Jesse Ventura and focused on legislation I co-sponsored with my colleagues, H.R. 645, which has never even passed out of a subcommittee. The bill would establish emergency operations centers to share information and provide assistance in case of emergencies and natural disasters. But in Ventura’s “report” he claimed that it created concentration camps across the country run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.