Media Bias or Journalistic Responsibility?

President Donald Trump has criticized The New York Times for publishing an op-ed purportedly written by an anonymous Senior Administration Official alleging an organized #Resistance effort within the White House. Since the piece went live, Trump has called on the paper to reveal the source whom he contends has committed treason. Others in Trump’s orbit have come forward with similar statements and have reignited a conversation about perceived media bias against the administration. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says, “It shouldn’t surprise anyone that The New York Times, a liberal newspaper that has attacked this administration relentlessly, chose to print such a piece.” He continues, “And I have to tell you, I just, I find the media’s efforts in this regard to undermine this administration incredibly disturbing.” A June survey from PRRI/The Atlanticfound 81 percent of Republicans believe media bias against certain candidates is a major problem compared to 41 percent of Democrats.

The Hunt for the New York Times Op-Ed Writer is On

Since The New York Times published a piece allegedly written by a “Senior Administration Official,” speculation has swirled over who the writer could be. The New York Timesrefuses to name the author and admits publishing an anonymous op-ed is the exception, not the rule. In response to speculation the author is Vice President Mike Pence, his Communications Director, Jarrod Agen, wrote on Twitter: “The Vice President puts his name on his Op-Eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed. Our office is above such amateur acts.” Many in Trump’s orbit have called out the paper for promoting what they refer to as the “deep state.” Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowksi says, “So, if there is a movement, which this individual claims there is and I haven’t seen it, that is what the deep state is. That is the government employees — some of them, who have their own agenda and not the agenda of the 60 million people that voted for Donald Trump to be the President of the United States.” President Trump repeated the “deep state” claim on Thursday morning. Trump writes, “The Deep State and the Left, and their vehicle, the Fake News Media, are going Crazy- & they don’t know what to do.” In response to criticism, the Times has stood by their piece. “We are incredibly proud to have published this piece, which adds significant value to the public’s understanding of what is going on in the Trump administration from someone who is in a position to know,” a spokesman for The New York Times says. A 2017 PRRI survey found that 79 percent of Republicans believe that reporters have a personal or political agenda.

Medical Marijuana in Utah Poses Problem for LDS Church

A November ballot proposition could make medical marijuana legal in the state of Utah, causing a quandary for some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which strictly opposes the measure. For David Cromar, a Mormon father of a 6-year-old boy who would benefit from medical marijuana, the churches position is problematic. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that folks who have never had the need or even the experience with medical cannabis think they can make decisions now about who gets to use it,” Cromar tells BuzzFeed. Nonetheless, the church continues to push back. “We are deeply concerned by the history of other states that have allowed for the medical or recreational use of this drug without the proper controls and have experienced serious consequences to the health and safety of their citizens,” LDS church official Jack Gerard says. A 2017 MTV/PRRI survey of young adults age 15-24 found that 65 percent favored the legalization of marijuana. Similarly, a 2016 survey of adults found that 63 percent of Americans favored marijuana legalization.

Trump Administration Looks to Circumvent Court Limits on Underage Detention

The Trump administration has announced it is preparing to circumvent the limits on the government confining child migrants in detention centers. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen claims the current limits set by Flores Settlement Agreement, the federal consent decree that has set the detention standards for minors since 1997, contains “legal loopholes [that] significantly hinder the Department’s ability to appropriately detain and promptly remove family units that have no legal basis to remain in the country.” The proposal would allow for children to be held for longer periods of time and allow for the construction of more family detention facilities that house 3,500 beds. This will likely land the administration back in immigration court as it comes less than three months after the administration was widely condemned for the separation of families at detention centers.

Roy Moore Sues Sacha Baron Cohen for $95 Million

Former Republican senate nominee Roy Moore and his wife, Kayla, filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday against comedian Sacha Baron Cohen after the former’s appearance on Cohen’s series, “Who is America?” The lawsuit also names the series network Showtime, as well as CBS Corporation as defendants. Moore appeared on the program and was subjected to a test to measure whether he was a pedophile, a reference to accusationsplaguing Moore for much of his failed Senate campaign. According to The Birmingham News, Moore filed the lawsuit on the grounds of intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and fraud. It’s the fourth lawsuit involving Moore stemming from the Senate race.