According to detailed reporting, CNN was forced to correct a story after facing accusations of launching a “smear” campaign against U.S. Senator Katie Britt.
In the official GOP response to the 2024 State of the Union, Britt (R-Montgomery), referenced the tragic story of a sex trafficking victim, Karla Jacinto, to highlight a comorbid immigration and border crisis unfolding under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Jacinto, who suffered immense brutality between ages 12 and 16 by traffickers in Mexico, was featured by CNN in an attempt to question the accuracy of Britt’s portrayal. However, these claims contrasted even with previous reporting on Jacinto and her own statements.
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“When reached for comment on the inaccuracy, CNN responded that it had corrected the piece to reflect it was Jacinto’s view that Britt claimed the two met one-on-one, and not the outlet’s. ‘CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify the circumstances of Britt’s meeting with Jacinto,’ a note at the bottom of the story now reads,” FOX News reports.
“CNN also portrayed Britt as incorrectly claiming Jacinto was trafficked by Mexican drug cartels, but the senator never said ‘drug cartels’ during her rebuttal. She specifically talked about ‘cartels,’ referring to organized crime along the border, similar to how Jacinto previously described her traffickers as a ‘crime organization’ during testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in May 2015.”
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In response to the media scrutiny, Sen. Britt remained consistent calling for a shift in focus toward the significant human suffering occurring at the border due to human trafficking and the influx of fentanyl rather than “Joe Biden’s re-election campaign,” Britt said.
Republicans across the country have rallied behind Britt’s televised address and its substance. U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) said mainstream outlets “want to smear any conservative who speaks out.”
Joe Biden's policies have been a gift to the cartels that are engaged in horrific sex trafficking and bringing fentanyl to the U.S.
Katie Britt is absolutely right and that's why the media is attacking her.
That want to smear any conservative who speaks out.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) March 11, 2024
“Britt, long considered a rising star within the Republican Party, has been rumored as a potential vice presidential running mate for former President Donald Trump in the general election this November,” FOX News also reports.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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