Some in the conservative media are accusing Media Matters of calling the Wall Street Journal's John Fund an “ass weasel.” That is false.

The claim appears to have originated with a recent American Thinker article by James Simpson about universal voter registration (which was subsequently reposted on other outlets like The Cypress Times). In it, Simpson wrote this:

The left has predictably launched vicious smear attacks against John Fund for bringing universal voter registration to our attention. A Google search of the issue brings up any number of nasty ad hominem attacks. Most notable is Media Matters, the leftist group whose sole purpose seems to be to smear Republicans and defend the left's indefensible policies. They put up this gem: “Right-Wing Ass Weasel John Fund Doesn't Like Universal Voter Registration because of ACORN.”

The link does not lead to Media Matters' website. Instead, it goes to a YouTube page titled “FoxBastardPeople,” which is not operated by Media Matters.

The owner of the page apparently embedded one of Media Matters' clips of Fund appearing on Fox & Friends to discuss ACORN and took the liberty of giving it a different title. We titled the clip, “Fund claims universal voter registration would 'mean ACORN's goal of voter fraud will be realized.'”