What is happening at MSNBC?

Over the past several months, Media Matters for America has documented more than 130 instances (as of this posting) in which MSNBC has provided an outlet for conservative misinformation. Hardball host Chris Matthews, Scarborough Country host former U.S. Representative Joe Scarborough (R-FL), and MSNBC analyst and regular Scarborough Country guest host Pat Buchanan frequently distort, misinform, mislead, and play host to skewed panels. But MSNBC's track record may be about to get much worse: Media Matters has already noted the network's reported interest in hiring CNN and PBS host Tucker Carlson, as well as Carlson's long history of distortions and false statements. And on December 18, TVNewser reported that the network had made preparations for a new program to be co-anchored by Ron Reagan Jr. and conservative radio host Monica Crowley -- who recently joined MSNBC as a contributor and analyst after eight years at FOX News Channel.

A December 20 post on the blog Daily Kos noted an August 23, 1999, Slate.com article that revealed that Crowley apparently borrowed heavily from a 1988 Commentary magazine article in an August 9, 1999, piece she wrote for The Wall Street Journal editorial page on the 25th anniversary of Richard Nixon's resignation from the presidency. The Slate.com article provided numerous examples of the close similarities between the Commentary piece and Crowley's Wall Street Journal item, but reported that Crowley denied ever having read the Commentary piece.

Media Matters has also documented some of Crowley's past distortions and false assertions:

• Crowley baselessly claimed that Germany was among the "countries that dealt with Saddam Hussein, possibly illegally" in the oil-for-food scandal.
• Crowley echoed the false claim of numerous FOX News Channel anchors that an elementary school in Cupertino, California, "banned" the Declaration of Independence because it mentioned God.
• Crowley misrepresented the findings of the 9-11 Commission in an effort to justify her support for a controversial national database that would track college students and maintain personal information about them.

—S.S.M.