The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has expressed her outrage over what she perceives as a series of unethical journalistic practices by a reporter from a prominent national newspaper, allegedly for political gain.
According to Gateway Pundit, Gabbard accused Ellen Nakashima, a reporter from the Washington Post, of harassing staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in various inappropriate ways. These alleged actions include misrepresenting her place of employment and using a burner phone.
Gabbard stated, It has come to my attention that Washington Post reporter @nakashimae appears to be actively harassing ODNI staff. Instead of reaching out to my press office, she is calling high-level Intelligence Officers from a burner phone, refusing to identify herself, lying about the fact that she works for the Washington Post, and then demanding they share sensitive information.
The Director of National Intelligence further criticized the Washington Post, suggesting that the publication has escalated its tactics beyond merely publishing leaked classified material. "Apparently, publishing leaked classified material wasnt enough for the Washington Post, so now theyve decided to go after the Intelligence professionals charged to protect it," Gabbard added.
Gabbard also claimed that Nakashima had previously targeted her family in Hawaii. This is a clear political op by the same outlet and the same reporter who harassed and stalked my family in Hawaii, she said.
In her concluding remarks, Gabbard lambasted Nakashima and the Washington Post, describing their actions as desperate and deranged. She said, "This kind of deranged behavior reflects a media establishment so desperate to sabotage @POTUSs successful agenda that theyve abandoned even a facade of journalistic integrity and ethics. The Washington Post should be ashamed, and they should put an end to this immediately.
The Washington Post responded to Gabbard's accusations, defending their reporter. "For three decades, Ellen Nakashima has been one of the most careful, fair-minded, and highly regarded reporters covering national security. Reaching out to potential sources rather than relying solely on official government press statements regarding matters of public interest is neither nefarious nor is it harassment. It is basic journalism, stated Matt Murray, the executive editor of the Washington Post.
However, considering Nakashima's alleged history of falsehoods, siding with America's DNI Director might be the safer option. Gateway Pundit has previously reported on Nakashima's alleged bias against conservatives, including publishing hit pieces on prominent figures such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Nakashima co-authored a piece for the Washington Post claiming that the FBI had warned Giuliani in late 2019 that he was the target of a Russian influence operation. However, Giuliani refuted this claim during an interview with Steve Bannon, stating that he had never been approached by the FBI. This contradiction casts doubt on the credibility of Nakashima's report.
Nakashima has also been accused of publishing a false report about Trump team member Richard Grenell and of being a key player in propagating the unsubstantiated Russia-Collusion narrative. She was reportedly one of the first journalists to claim Russian hacking of the DNC.
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