Attkisson Dodges Hacking Story Inconsistencies And Lashes Out At Media Matters

Attkisson

Sharyl Attkisson refused to answer questions from Politico about the inconsistencies in her story of alleged government hacking into her computer. Instead, she once again lashed out at Media Matters.

In a Huffington Post interview yesterday, Attkisson changed her story about an alleged intrusion into her laptop computer. In her book Stonewalled, Attkisson wrote that an anonymous source had given her the identity of the person who had hacked into her computer. But while speaking to Huffington Post, Attkisson said she didn't know who the hacker may have been, but “I just know that there's some government tie.”

When Politico reporter Dylan Byers asked Attkisson about these inconsistencies, she refused to address them. Instead, she told Politico that “I am not reading Media Matters and would caution that they are an unreliable, partisan, vested 'source' that in the past has produced much incorrect and distorted information.”

She added, “I continue to be surprised that anyone treats them as a credible source--while never seeming to seriously address allegations from it's right wing counterparts. The media's disparate treatment of the two politically-motivated groups is addressed in stonewalled. So, in short, Media Matters is a proven, unreliable, partisan source.”

Media Matters previously consulted with security experts about a video released by Attkisson showing evidence of purported “hacking,” and they concluded it was more likely that the backspace key was stuck on her device.

The attack on Media Matters follows her pattern of claiming - without evidence or substantiation - that Media Matters has gotten reporting on her wrong. Similarly, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Attkisson said “I actually read little to zero of what [Media Matters] write[s],” but again claimed “they have definitely said many, many, false things.”

In her book, Attkisson referenced Media Matters 22 times, alleging that the organization has used false information to attack her.

In reality, Media Matters has written about Attkisson's sloppy and erroneous reporting on a host of topics both at CBS News and in her recent work for conservative outlets like the Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal and for Sinclair Broadcasting. She has never pointed out specific factual errors in this coverage of her work, just blanket allegations of falsehoods.