CBS News’ claim that senators were given flashcards on how to deal with reporters was called out by Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s communications director Thursday, who said the cards are meant for protestors.
The outlet ran with the headline “Senators given flashcard with tips for responding to reporters” as the impeachment process began in the Senate Thursday. CBS political correspondent Ed O’Keefe tweeted out a picture of the cards and wrote that it gave “tips on how to avoid reporters.”
JUST IN: @CBSNews /@caitlinconant obtain a flashcard being given to U.S. Senators ahead of the #ImpeachmentTrial on tips to avoid reporters. (One thing it doesn’t suggest is calling reporters a “liberal hack.”) pic.twitter.com/mAZpBP9Fv7
— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) January 16, 2020
“Senators are being given a flashcard with tips to help them avoid the press, labeled ‘phrases to use when seeking assistance,'” according to CBS News’ article. Liz Johnson, Romney’s communications director, tweeted that the flashcards are used as a way to respond to “*protestors*,” not reporters.
This represents longstanding best practices from @SenateSAA & @CapitolPolice for safely de-escalating confrontations with *protesters* and it’s provided to Hill staff routinely. https://t.co/ppRJSIL4PB
— Liz Johnson (@LJ0hnson) January 16, 2020
CBS News did not explain how it knew definitively that the flashcards were meant for dealing with reporters. (RELATED: Pro-Impeachment Protesters Gather Outside Of The Capitol Ahead Of Vote)
This tweet is currently included in CBS’s article, but the headline still reads that the flashcards are for dealing with reporters. The outlet wrote that Johnson was saying “similar guidance has been distributed ‘routinely’ to congressional staffers in the context of dealing with protesters in the Capitol.”
Johnson added in a subsequent tweet a photo of a similar flashcard handed out “months ago” and specifically meant for protestors. This tweet was not included in CBS News’ article.
For context, here is a similar version of this guidance (note *protesters*) that was handed out in routine security briefings months ago. Everyone take a breath plz. pic.twitter.com/mqiWkIDxzh
— Liz Johnson (@LJ0hnson) January 16, 2020
CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.