Filmmaker Michael Moore issued a blistering critique of folks”piling on” U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte after his now-infamous confrontation with Rio de Janeiro security guards.
“A lot aren’t going to like this. I’m sorry. I just don’t like to watch ppl pile on, even if it’s on ppl like Lochte,” Mr. Moore said Tuesday on Twitter before linking to Facebook commentary. NBC’s Matt Lauer was then singled out for calling the Aug. 14 incident outside a Rio gas station a “negotiation.”
“Ryan Lochte — how dare you say you had a gun pulled on you by a guy with a badge who demanded money from you when in fact you had a guy with a badge pull a gun on you and demand money from you!” Mr. Moore sarcastically wrote.
“Matt Lauer said that wasn’t a robbery — it was a ’negotiation!’ Oh ye gods of justice, I pray a man in a uniform pulls a gun on Matt Lauer tonight after the Billy Joel concert at the Garden and demand money from him because he pounded his mighty fist against one of those disgusting ad posters we men are forced to look at while relieving ourselves! Pull the gun on him and ’negotiate’ with him, but don’t hurt him, dear rent-a-cop!
Mr. Lochte has admitted to “overexaggerating” details of his alcohol-fueled night with fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jimmy Feigen and Jack Conger.
New details, however, demonstrate that Rio police have their own credibility problems: A Brazilian judge said that police hastily cleared security guards of a crime, police have not made the security guards available for questioning, and statements by Rio Police Chief Fernando Veloso were proven false by a USA Today investigation.
SEE ALSO: Ryan Lochte vindicated? Judge says security guards hastily cleared of robbery charges
A videographer for the newspaper went to to the gas station on Aug. 18 to verify Mr. Veloso’s claims that the U.S. swimmers broke a mirror and a soap dispenser inside the bathroom. Neither part was damaged.
“What kind of gas station needs three armed guards? Where exactly are we? In a city that had called in 80,000 extra police for the week, the three armed security guards couldn’t call for a cop a half-a-block away? No! Why should they! They were just ’negotiating’ with the swimmers!” Mr. Moore continued.
“And they could tell by looking into the eyes of one them — a blackout drunk if ever there ever was one — that he was just hours away from… lying to Billy Bush! Yes, keep that gun pointed at him! He will tell Billy Bush the gun was pressed against his ’forehead,’ but if you just point it toward his head, that will make him a LIAR and all the people who could never dream of having 12 Olympic medals will raise their voice in judgment and condemn him! Shame! Shame on you, Ryan Lochte! […] God Bless these United States of America, where everyone gets to throw the first stone.”
The director also criticized missing footage that Rio authorities failed to make public, as well as the “kangaroo court” that forced Mr. Feigen to pay a $11,000 fine before he could leave the country.
Mr. Lochte is charged with filing a false police report. He may face up to six months in prison and a fine. Mr. Bentz and Mr. Conger face no charges.
A lot aren’t going to like this. I’m sorry. I just don’t like to watch ppl pile on, even if it’s on ppl like Lochte: https://t.co/ykZ7iMudgC
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) August 23, 2016
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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