The media has been on the fast track lately. They’ve been rushing headlong into partisanship over objective journalism at the speed of sound. One of the biggest culprits this week was Brian Ross of ABC News. His Fake News gambit just yesterday ended with a four week suspension. What was his crime? This:

Yes, that’s correct. ABC, but particularly Brian Ross, were trumpeting from the high heavens that Flynn’s plea deal with Mueller meant that Flynn would testify against Trump!

Retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn has promised “full cooperation” in the special counsel’s Russia investigation and, according to a confidant, is prepared to testify that Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians, initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria. The stunning turn comes as Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI about his back-channel negotiations with the Russian ambassador – talks that occurred before Trump took office. The special counsel made the plea agreement public Friday morning.

The conclusion that everyone and the kitchen sink jumped to? Trump colluded and impeachment is imminent!! Cue the celebration parades…RIGHT??!! WRONG.

Yeah, I know, Joy Behar at The View was all over this news like a fat kid on cake.

This video of Joy Behar cheering the Flynn news this morning is a good case study for how partisans disseminate information. She has only the smallest, most basic idea of what has happened, and she treats it as a game changer anyway. You wonder how "fake news" spreads? Watch: pic.twitter.com/NFVUIMj2K2 — Ruthless T. Firefly (@BecketAdams) December 1, 2017

The View ended up disavowing after Kellyanne Conway called them out. Meanwhile, Joy still has her celebratory tweet up.

Christmas came early. Thank you, Santa! pic.twitter.com/KBsIWpwHyq — Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar) December 1, 2017

ABC News had to issue a “clarification:”

ABC News spokesperson tells me that “World News” will clarify that this should be president-elect Trump, not candidate Trump. https://t.co/Xm0BuvAstj — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 1, 2017

The problems with Ross’s report wasn’t only that it was completely incorrect, it ALSO caused an upheaval in the stock market!

Ross’ incorrect report prompted a dramatic reaction in the financial markets, and the Dow fell more than 350 points.

With that, ABC News had no choice but to kick Brian Ross to the curb for the next month… WITHOUT PAY. Oh. The. Horror.

Here’s the deal: this is not Brian Ross’s first attempt at bat regarding Fake News. Nope. It’s his FIFTH that we know of. Those stories include Saddam Hussein and the bogus anthrax, the runaway Toyota story, the underwear bomber, and more.

However, one of those five stories led to an on-air apology from Ross. This one:

ABC News' Brian Ross had to apologize for suggesting that Aurora theater shooter James Holmes was a member of Colorado Tea Party. pic.twitter.com/MThgHQ7I99 — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 2, 2017

Yes indeed. Brian Ross threw that information out there without doing the bare minimum of fact checking. All because it SOLD the story.

CORRECTION of ABC News Special Report: Flynn prepared to testify that President-elect Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians *during the transition* — initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria, confidant now says. https://t.co/ewrkVZTu2K pic.twitter.com/URLiHf3uSm — ABC News (@ABC) December 2, 2017

Brian Ross should be suspended permanently, but instead he gets only a few coals in his stocking for Christmas.

Four weeks without pay for peddling fake news that has been retweeted over 25,000 times and led to gleeful celebration?

So, Brian Ross is getting December off for totally screwing pooch on the scoop of the century, tanking market, lying & calling it a clarification. — Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) December 2, 2017

Brian Ross’s peddling of a story that he KNEW was fake caused an upheaval across the stock markets and across the world. Christmas without pay is a slap on the wrist. He should be FIRED!