As you’ve likely heard by now, the African-American student at Immanuel Christian School in Virginia — where Karen Pence is a teacher — has admitted that she lied about being assaulted by three white male classmates. A lot of media firefighters didn’t wait until the truth came out before seizing on this story as proof of Christian bigotry and Karen Pence’s tacit support for it.

To his credit, CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers admitted that he’d made a major mistake in lending credibility to the story:

This was a hoax. As hate crimes rise that are real victims that need our attention, not these terrible hoaxes. Karen Pence has a ton of questions to answer, but this ain’t one. I missed on this one. My bad. https://t.co/xpPoI8m3JJ — Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) September 30, 2019

His bad.

Love that you're the kind of person to own mistakes promptly and genuinely and move forward. It's too bad this kind of behavior isn't universally applied by our representatives. — Richard Marsh (@REMarsh3) September 30, 2019

It's ok we all make mistakes. It takes a real man to admit it. Thank you Sir. — Jujubee_007 (@007_jujubee) September 30, 2019

Yeah, it’s great of Sellers to admit he screwed this one up. What is decidedly less admirable about his mea culpa is his apparent inability to refrain from impugning Karen Pence’s character.

And what exactly does educator Karen Pence have to answer for? https://t.co/09gkhQv5ac — Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) September 30, 2019

What does Karen Pence have to answer for? https://t.co/cPqFoTnSz6 — Bob Malak (@bob_malak) September 30, 2019

"Karen Pence has a ton of questions to answer, but this ain’t one." What the hell is that supposed to mean? — Fake Noose (@LetItBurnUSA) September 30, 2019

What exactly does Karen Pence have to answer for here? She was not involved. https://t.co/dzwHxc8JTp — Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) September 30, 2019

NARRATOR: Karen Pence does not have a ton of questions to answer. https://t.co/RLjlLNBY9v — RBe (@RBPundit) September 30, 2019

Sellers’ “bad” — aside from helping to advance a false narrative — is his insistence on sliming Karen Pence despite having no real reason to do so. Here’s what he tweeted last week when the initial story broke:

I’m sorry but Karen Pence should have to answer questions about this…. https://t.co/hgX4rp21Lb — Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) September 27, 2019

Save your “I’m sorry” for Karen Pence, Bakari.

Where is your apology to the @SecondLady? — kramed67037 (@Kramed67037) September 30, 2019

So no apology to Karen Pence then? — Trey Best (@TreyBest6) September 30, 2019

Not much of an apology to Karen Pence. What a joke bro. — Nick James (@RickJam04399529) September 30, 2019

Where the apology to Karen Pence? You hypocrite — joe mullen (@joemullen1) September 30, 2019