Blackout: Mainstream Media Ignore Arrest of Wasserman Schultz Staffer

Imran Awan, a former IT staffer for former DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), was arrested Monday night while trying to flee the country. But those who rely only on the mainstream media for news likely have no idea the shocking incident even occurred.

A study by the Media Research Center discovered that mainstream media networks ABC, CBS, and NBC effectively ignored the development, which is part of a larger, potentially explosive story.

According to MRC’s NewsBusters, all three of the networks ignored the story until Wednesday, when CBS “This Morning” finally decided to cover it — for only 37 seconds.

“Talk about a news blackout! The only way you could get the network news media to cover this story less would be if the suspect was also a member of the press,” joked Dan Gainor, vice president of business and culture for the Media Research Center.

“[Tuesday] night, all three networks ignored the story. [Wednesday] morning, CBS chimed in for all of 37 seconds, but was sure to mention allegations of ‘anti-Muslim bigotry,'” Gainor told LifeZette.

Indeed, CBS’s Gayle King suggested with a straight face that the only reason Awan was arrested and is under investigation is not his alleged attempt to defraud the Congressional Federal Credit Union, but anti-Muslim prejudice.

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel stressed the seriousness of the issue during an appearance on “The Larry O’Connor Show” on WMAL in Washington, D.C.

“There is a huge national security issue. This individual, Imran Awan, who worked for Debbie Wasserman Schultz, he and his family since 2005 have collected $4 million of taxpayer money while working for congressional Democrats,” McDaniel said.

“He had access to Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s computer, he had her password, he had access to all her files, everything having to do with Congress — as well as, potentially, all of her DNC files, and guess what? She’s not cooperating. She’s obstructing every chance she can,” McDaniel continued.

“This is the thing that should be investigated right now. We need to determine what type of access this gentleman had, why is he trying to flee the country and why was he detained at Dulles last night on what we think was bank fraud?” McDaniel said.

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Gainor panned the press for the incredible double standard they’ve given up hiding in the age of Trump.

“It’s easy to see how this would be covered if the suspect was tied to a Republican. We see it every day with breathless reports of Trump’s second scoop of ice cream or claims Boy Scouts who cheered him were like the ‘Hitler Youth,'” said Gainor.

“Journalists have been setting their own narratives for decades. Now that is all crashing in on them, and they don’t like it.”

(photo credit, homepage image: Medill DC, Flickr; photo credit, article image: Gage Skidmore)