A Few Parsing Thoughts On The Hastert Story Standoff

We discovered a couple weeks ago how carefully-parsed reporting and statements can lead to confusion about a story like the USA Today’s report on the still-fuzzy NSA phone database program. A report yesterday by ABC News’s Brian Ross is another example in the science of story explanation. It all kicked off yesterday at 6:24pm, when this was posted on ABC’s blog-like “Blotter”:

Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Minutes later, on ABC’s “World News Tonight,” anchor Elizabeth Vargas led the broadcast saying: “Tonight, Justice Department sources tell us the investigation involving a convicted lobbyist and allegations of bribery leads to the highest level of Congress.” Vargas introduced the story, saying the case “has led investigators to some of the most powerful members of Congress, namely the man second in line for the presidency after the vice president.”

On the broadcast, Ross reported: “Justice Department officials describe the 64-year old Illinois Republican as very much in the mix of the corruption investigation.”

At the end of his report, Ross added: “This is an investigation clearly at the very beginning. The allegations could well prove unfounded. But what is clear from all this is that the FBI intends to take this case wherever it goes.” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos appeared on the broadcast to provide analysis on the story and cautioned that some “quid-pro-quo” arrangement would have to be proven for anything to come of this part of the investigation. He also noted that there are 33 members of Congress who wrote letters to the Interior Secretary and received similar contributions.

While all this was going on, the Justice Department was busy denying the story, releasing a statement saying simply: “Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”

Ross’ reporting claimed convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has been cooperating with investigators and that has led them to a letter written by Hastert to the Secretary of the Interior objecting a proposed Indian casino – one that would have competed with clients of Abramoff. The letter was written just after a fundraiser for Hastert at Abramoff’s restaurant netted over $26,000. The original report included a quote from a Hastert aide saying, “we are not aware of this.” Ross also noted that Hastert had recently been highly critical of the FBI for its raid of the offices of Democratic Congressman William Jefferson (a potential clue to possible motivation of the Hastert story’s origin).

Responding later to the DOJ’s statement, an update was posted on “The Blotter,” which included this:

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has provided information to the FBI about Hastert and a number of other members of Congress that have broadened the scope of the investigation. Sources would not divulge details of Abramoff’s information.

“You guys wrote the story very carefully but they are not reading it very carefully," a senior official said.

Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty then released this statement:

With regard to reports suggesting that the Speaker of the House is under investigation or 'in the mix,' as stated by ABC News, I reconfirm, as stated by the Department earlier this evening, that these reports are untrue.

Speaker Hastert called the report “totally untrue” and his counsel, J. Randolph Evans, released a letter sent to ABC:

At 7:25 p.m., the Statement of the Department of Justice confirmed:

"Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department."

At 10:21 p.m., you wrote:

"Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation," one federal official said tonight."

This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC News' continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker Hastert's reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.

We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.

This morning, on “Good Morning America,” Ross stuck by his reporting:

Despite flat and repeated denials from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement officials insist to ABC News that the FBI investigation of Capitol Hill corruption has widened to include potentially Speaker of the House Denny Hastert.

He added:

Hastert says the story is untrue and has demanded a retraction. Our sources say Hastert is not considered the formal subject or target at this time but that the FBI will soon seek documents from him and other members of Congress, based on information from the convicted lobbyist Abramoff. The investigation, of course, is in its very early stages and it's very possible it will turn out there was nothing unlawful about Hastert's relationship with Abramoff.

While other news organizations did mention the report, they centered on the DOJ's denials of the story (CBS' "Early Show" mentioned it briefly this morning). This story appears to turn on the phrases like, “in the mix” and “not considered a formal subject or target at this time.” It’s a good lesion for media consumers – it pays to parse. Like the USA Today story, it appears we will have to wait to find out what’s really happening here – if we ever do.