Associated Press Suing FBI For Publishing Fake News Stories In Their Name

So the "MSM" was "victimized" by the FBI back in 2007 when the FBI apparently made-up a story and used the Associated Press as the "messenger".

The plan was to trap a bomb maker suspect by planting malware on a computer.

The AP is evidently suing.

My guess is this "lawsuit" is just a red herring to make people automatically think the MSM agencies never ever cooperate with government agencies.

Dirty Secrets !!

They even filed some FOIA requests to prove the case !!


Associated Press Suing FBI For Publishing Fake News Stories In Their Name

The Associated Press recently filed a lawsuit against the FBI to seek more information about a program through which the agency created fake news stories

The full extent of the program is unknown, but in 2007, the AP was tipped off that the FBI created a fake news story using their heading in a scheme to plant malware on the computer of a bomb threat suspect (since this was just the suspect in the case of a threat, it is likely that more elaborate fake news schemes are used for different situations). The suspect was a Washington State high school student who was later sentenced to 90 days probation, expelled from school, and fined nearly $9,000. He was also barred from using mobile phones, playing video games, and using the internet for two years.

After the discovery that the FBI masqueraded as the news organization, the AP filed a Freedom of Information Act request in 2014 in the hopes of obtaining more information on the bureau’s involvement in creating fake news stories. The AP also wants to know how many times this type of plot was used, especially in its name. When the FBI attempted to stall and say that it would not be able to provide any information for many years, the AP filed the current lawsuit in an attempt to force the issue.

What's statute of limitations?

I thought they owned the NyTimes and WaPost?

Of course, it's legal for them to do it now.

a reply to: xuenchen

I thought the FBI was the Associated Press...
But no, I got them mixed up with the CIA, NSA, OTF, MCIA, DIA, CGI...

This thread title is misleading. AP isn't suing the FBI over the impersonation scam itself. AP is suing the FBI in a federal court as part of an FOIA case. AP wants access to documents that it thinks will help its case, if it ever gets as far as suing the FBI for the impersonation.

I'm not sure why AP is doing this, by the way, since I think I am right in believing that the pre-trial rules of disclosure apply in the same way in the US as they do in the UK. IOW the AP could skip the FOIA case, go right ahead and sue for the impersonation itself, and the relevant FBI documents would have to be produced anyway. But AP's legal team might have some longer strategy in mind that they're not disclosing I suppose.

originally posted by: loam
Of course, it's legal for them to do it now.

But what were the "intentions"?

All classified at the time I bet.

a reply to: audubon

The whole thing is about "Public Relations" and how the "Public" sees things.

a reply to: xuenchen

ISWYDT

a reply to: xuenchen

I can't believe that the AP has made itself even less credible than it already was.

AP's legal team might have some longer strategy in mind

At 400 plus dollars a hour (per person) keeping it going as long as possible is all that counts.

No matter the outcome, you get paid.

Buck

originally posted by: xuenchen

My guess is this "lawsuit" is just a red herring to make people automatically think the MSM agencies never ever cooperate with government agencies.
Dirty Secrets !!
They even filed some FOIA requests to prove the case !!

Use your loaf, whatever the FBI used the material for, it was made up.
It sounds like a good idea to catchy monkey, but there could also be repercussions of some kind.

originally posted by: MisterMcKill
a reply to: xuenchen

I thought the FBI was the Associated Press...
But no, I got them mixed up with the CIA, NSA, OTF, MCIA, DIA, CGI...

washimgton post is owned by the amazon guy who made some sort of deal with the cia for 500,000,000$

anyway as one of b.o.b's lyrics goes.. "news anchors is the feds too."

he's not wrong.