Five reporters at USA Today released a report this morning on nearly 5,000 members at Trump’s golf clubs.

USA TODAY ID’ed 4,500 Trump golf-club members through social media & a website golfers use to track handicaps, then researched who they were https://t.co/5ExoctJrnS — Susan Page (@SusanPage) September 6, 2017

Wait, what? Do they not realize how bad this sounds?

They further explain their methodology in this morning’s article:

USA TODAY found the names of 4,500 members by reviewing social media and a public website golfers use to track their handicaps, then researched and contacted hundreds to determine whether they had business with the government.

This is by far the shadiest thing I’ve heard in a while.

By implementing a convoluted KGB style back-door approach, the newspaper sniffed out Trump golf course members via their social media accounts and handicap information.

Though the five reporters found member information that is technically public (for example, everybody’s LinkedIn account is somewhat public), their identity and affiliation with the club is supposed to remain private.

Making it the most slimeball move in history to actually publish members’ identity, work history, and initiation fees. But here we are.

Needless to say, the internet did not take kindly to it.

Don’t see where it says they joined after November 8th, 2016, which would kind of matter. But hey, who cares about accuracy anymore? https://t.co/25sZTV8WPh — Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) September 6, 2017

You also understand that these clubs existed way before his presidency, right? https://t.co/Ey6ql41NaW — Gingeriffic (@mchastain81) September 6, 2017

I missed the part where there was any wrongdoing found or alleged. This feels like journalists doxxing innocent people. https://t.co/K6s5BL0zwr — David Martosko (@dmartosko) September 6, 2017

And why should they? The entire article is flagrantly falsified. It continues:

The review shows that, for the first time in U.S. history, wealthy people with interests before the government have a chance for close and confidential access to the president as a result of payments that enrich him personally. It is a view of the president available to few other Americans.

This isn’t even close to the first time in U.S. history that wealthy people — perhaps with ulterior motives — have had “close and confidential access” to a president.

Shall we recall the time Obama told Dmitri Medvedev he would have “more flexibility” after his election?

Or in 1998, when it was uncovered that Communist China had been donating millions of dollars to Bill Clinton’s campaign? Where was the uproar then?

So who cares if a chairman at Estee Lauder golfs at Mar a Lago? This is a tale as old as time. Presidents hang out with other powerful people. Trump’s golf clubs have been around for years. He’s only been president for 9 months.

Until golf becomes a crime, USA Today gets the award for worst reporting of the week.