Kokonut Pundit: When NYTimes Gets Busted for Lying to Help Cover Up Air America's Scandal

From Michelle Malkin.

The NYTimes reports buried deep in their newspaper:

"I don't know why he did it," Mr. Franken said, according to a transcript of the broadcast made by the Department of Investigation. "I don't know where the money went. I don't know if it was used for operations. I think he was borrowing from Peter to pay Paul."

Here's what Franken actually said (via audio at Brainster's Blog and transcript at Brian Maloney, who busted this story wide open in the blogosphere the Times sneers at):

I don't know why they did it, and I don't know where the money went, I don't know if it was used for operations [softer, especially fast], which I imagine it was. I think he was robbing Peter to pay Paul.

I've listened to the audio link and compared that with the available transcript and sure enough, Brian Maloney reported it correctly on what Al Franken actually said about the missing $870,000 Federal Grant that was stolen from Gloria Wise for Boys and Girls to act as a "loan" for Air ScamAmerica.

Why is the NYTimes helping to cover up Air America "loan"? Why were they so bold to say "according to a transcript" (of the AA show) in the article and write down differently what Al Franken actually said?

The NYTimes got caught with their pants down, literally. Will they issue a correction? An apology? Not likely. Will they do a more in depth reporting on AA's scam even though they fawned all over Air America Radio debut as a Liberals' answer to conservative radio talk shows?

- On March 11, 2004, the Times Business section introduced Air America in a story titled "Liberal Talk Radio Network To Start Up in Three Cities."

- On March 21, 2004, the Times Magazine ran a 7,659-word cover story about Al Franken titled "Al Franken, Seriously So." The reporter, Russell Shorto, said that everyone he talked to "agreed that Al Franken has excellent prospects for success in talk radio." He also reports that "Franken's political views are more eclectic than you might imagine." (Kokonut - I'm laughing over this one).

- On March 31, 2004--the day of Air America's debut--the Times ran a 1,403 word puff piece on page E1. The reporter, Jaques Steinberg, said Air America host Jeaneane Garofalo is merely "poking fun" at Karl Rove when she accuses him of pursuing ''the elusive 18-25 Klan demo" as if accusing a high-ranking White House official of pandering to one of the most vile organizations in America is akin to telling a lighthearted knock knock joke.

- On April 1, 2004, media critic Alessandra Stanley followed up with a 752-word review of Franken's first day on the air.

- On April 2, 2004, the front page of the metro section carried a 755-word article by reporter Clyde Haberman about the "debut of all-day Air America," which had occurred the previous day.