Opinion

Editorial: Mueller report shows who gave ‘fake news’

US President Donald Trump waves to supporters after arriving on Air Force One at the Palm Beach International Airport to spend Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort April 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. President Trump arrived as the report from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III was released by Attorney General William P. Barr earlier in Washington, DC. less US President Donald Trump waves to supporters after arriving on Air Force One at the Palm Beach International Airport to spend Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort April 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. ... more Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Editorial: Mueller report shows who gave ‘fake news’ 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

This shining truth is evident in the much-anticipated Mueller report released Thursday — there was no so-called “fake news.”

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller began his investigation into areas of conduct by President Donald Trump nearly two years ago, the news media pursued its own in-depth reporting on the administration. For every revealing story reported and published in some of the most respected media outlets in the country — The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN — the president would cry “Fake News.”

But he was wrong, and that diversionary tactic is exposed now for what it is — another lie.

The 400-plus pages of the report released by Attorney General William Barr, with redactions of classified material and referrals to criminal courts for further investigation, merit close scrutiny. The American people, for whom Mueller worked, need for him to appear before Congress and explain his reasoning.

The investigation centered on two overarching areas — did the president or his campaign collude with the Russians to influence the 2016 election, and did the president obstruct justice in the investigation? On the face of it, the answer appears to be no on both counts.

Whether Mueller determined there was insufficient evidence of obstruction of justice because others in the White House tried to thwart the president’s attempts should be explored.

But for now we are focusing on the integrity — and necessity — of journalism in contrast to the lies and manipulation by the president and his circle.

It was not “fake news” that a foreign country tried to influence the American election, and succeeded. This should scare everyone. It was not “fake news” that Donald Trump Jr. and others met with Russian operatives in Trump Tower during the campaign season. It was not “fake news” that Trump ordered his attorney, Michael Cohen, to pay off a porn star and keep his extramarital affair secret.

Democracy can teeter on the edge of autocracy when the ruler tries to discredit the truth and baldly attempts to turn the American people against the institution working on their behalf — the press. Remember President Trump calling the media “the enemy of the people?” That is chilling, and couldn’t be further from the truth.

Instead, the Mueller report shows, “fake news” — lies — came from the White House. Under oath, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders admitted that she made up the assertion that many rank-and-file Justice Department personnel had lost faith in their leader at the time, James Comey. This was fabricated as an excuse for President Trump to fire him.

That is one example. We do not have enough space to get into all the lies put forth by the president. (The website PolitiFact does a good job of that.)

Whether you describe yourself as conservative, liberal, progressive, whatever — journalism is for the people. Be informed.

A free and unfettered press, one that does not shirk from reporting on those in power, is essential to democracy.