Journalist Glenn Greenwald on Tuesday blasted The New York Times for “weaponizing” the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
Mr. Greenwald slammed The Times’ reporting as “complete fiction,” adding the paper had no evidence to support its claim that Sicknick was bludgeoned to death by an angry mob of Trump supporters during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
“The gruesome story of Sicknick’s ’murder’ was too valuable to allow any questioning,” he wrote on his website. “It was weaponized over and over to depict the pro-Trump mob not just violent but barbaric and murderous because if Sicknick wasn’t murdered by them, then nobody was.”
The Times reported on Jan. 8 that Sicknick died from injuries sustained fighting with rioters during the riot. The paper cited two anonymous law enforcement sources who claimed he was “struck with a fire extinguisher.”
House impeachment managers cited the article as evidence in their impeachment memo against former President Trump.
On Monday, the District of Columbia’s medical examiner said Sicknick died as a result of two strokes he suffered the night of the Capitol riot and died the next day. He attributed the officer’s death to “natural causes.”
There was no indication that Sicknick was bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher.
Mr. Greenwald said there were “so many reasons” to doubt The Times’ reporting, including the lack of on-the-record sources, and that Sicknick’s own family urged the press to stop spreading the story.
“Because the truth usually prevails, at least ultimately, their lies, yet again, all came crashing down on their heads Monday,” he wrote.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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