The Unethical, Dishonest Ebola Coverage of Right Wing Stalker Chuck C. Johnson

Lies, personal attacks and unethical behavior
Wingnuts • Views: 41,751
Chuck C. Johnson posing with his best friend

In the past month, right wing blogger/stalker Chuck C. Johnson’s coverage of Ebola cases in the United States has included publishing home addresses of Ebola patients and their family members as well as numerous photos of victims’ families.

In some cases, Johnson has launched personal attacks on patients and their families, outing their political associations, alleged criminal records and other irrelevant information. Johnson also falsely reported that a case of Ebola had been confirmed in New Jersey.

Bioethics experts have said that publishing the names, addresses and other personal data about Ebola patients is “unethical” and “has the potential to do harm.”

The following post details Johnson’s dangerous and unethical coverage of Ebola over the past month.

Johnson Has Published The Home Addresses Of Multiple Ebola Patients

Johnson Published NYC Ebola Victim Craig Spencer’s Home Address. In an October 24 GotNews post, Johnson published the home address of Ebola patient Dr. Craig Spencer and his girlfriend, Morgan Dixon.

Johnson Referred To Spencer And Dixon As The “Left-Wing Hipster Democrat Couple That Exposed NYC” To Ebola. The headline of Johnson’s October 24 post read:

Johnson Published Dixon’s LinkedIn Profile. In the October 24 post, Johnson published Morgan Dixon’s LinkedIn profile:

Johnson Published Nursing License Registration Information For Ebola Victim Amber Joy Vinson. In an October 16 GotNews post, Johnson wrote that Vinson “held nursing licenses in at least five different states,” calling this “highly unusual.”

On Twitter, Johnson Suggested That Vinson May Be “Jacking Licenses.” In an October 15 Twitter post, Johnson wrote:

Johnson Published Name And Photo Of Dallas Nurse Who Contracted Ebola. In an October 13 GotNews post, Johnson wrote: “Nina Pham is the name of the Dallas-based nurse who got Ebola, Gotnews has learned. After learning the address of the unnamed Ebola patient, Gotnews editor-in-chief Chuck C. Johnson and researcher Shannon Knutsen cross referenced the address with a list of every known occupant.” He also posted a photo of Pham from her Twitter feed.

Johnson Published Pham’s Name Despite Family’s Request For Privacy. In his October 13 post, Johnson wrote, “Pham’s family is currently asking for privacy but the public health concerns trump Pham’s anonymity.”

Johnson Published Pham’s Home Address. In a separate October 13 GotNews post, Johnson published Pham’s home address, claiming, “We’re publishing that address so that Americans can safely avoid the Dallas home.” (GotNews, 10/13/14)

Johnson Has Published Personal Information Of Patients’ Family Members

Johnson Attacked Nephew Of Man In Dallas Who Died From Ebola. In an October 9 GotNews post, Johnson attacked Jospehus Weeks, the nephew of Thomas Eric Duncan, an Ebola victim who had died days earlier in Dallas. Weeks had suggested Duncan may not have received proper treatment because he was African. In response, Johnson called Weeks “ungrateful” and accused him of “race-baiting.”

Johnson Published Josephus Weeks’s Alleged Criminal Record. In the October 9 post, Johnson also published what he called Weeks’s “alleged criminal record:”

Johnson Published Photos Of Duncan’s “Neglected Son.” In a separate October 9 GotNews post, Johnson published photos of Duncan’s son, writing: “While media accounts portray Ebola patient zero’s family as lovable and god-fearing, the social media photos of his long estranged son, Karsiah, tell a different story.” Johnson’s headline referred to Karsiah as Duncan’s “Neglected Son:”

Johnson Published Pro-Hillary Social Media Posts Written By Duncan’s Half-Brother. In an October 4 GotNews post, Johnson wrote, “Ebola Patient’s Half Brother & Spokesman Is Ready For Hillary!” Johnson posted a photo of Duncan’s half-brother along with Facebook posts supportive of Clinton.

Johnson Claimed He Was Researching Immigration Statuses Of Duncan’s Relatives. In his October 4 post, Johnson wrote: “Gotnews is working on discovering the immigration status of Thomas Eric Duncan’s relatives Louise Troh, Youngor Jallah, his stepdaughter, and her husband Aaaron Yah.”

Johnson Posted Photos Of Duncan’s Stepdaughter, Youngor Allah. In an October 3 GotNews post, Johnson wrote: “Gotnews has discovered the social media sites of the Ebola patient’s family, and while we initially we were not going to report this information to the public, Thomas Eric Duncan’s family has not been complying with a court ordered quarantine. We think the public has a right to know what she looks like.”

Johnson Was Suspended From Twitter For Posting Home Addresses

Johnson Was Suspended From Twitter For Posting Address Of Duncan’s Stepdaughter. Talking Points Memo reported, “Conservative troublemaker Chuck C. Johnson was temporarily booted off his favorite platform on Tuesday. Johnson’s Twitter account was suspended after he posted the street address of someone he said had been exposed to the Ebola patient in Dallas. When asked for comment after the suspension, Johnson directed TPM to a post on GotNews, the website he launched earlier this year.” (Talking Points Memo, 10/7/14)

Despite Suspension, Johnson Later Turned To Twitter Followers For Help With Outing Another Victim’s Family Member. In an October 13 Twitter post, Johnson wrote:

Johnson Was Suspended From Twitter For A Second Time. Talking Points Memo reported, “Twitter might not have Chuck C. Johnson to kick around anymore The outlandish right-wing agitator’s Twitter account was suspended once again on Monday, the second time in a week he has been booted off the social media platform. And just as he did a week ago, Johnson apparently earned the punishment for violating Twitter’s rules against posting private information, according to Little Green Footballs. Johnson wrote to TPM later on Tuesday to say he isn’t sure that’s why he was suspended by Twitter this time around. ‘Twitter isn’t providing any reason why I am suspended,’ he said in an email. ‘They won’t say if it’s because of private information; they e (sic) just suspended me.’” (Talking Points Memo, 10/14/14)

Bioethicists: Publicizing Patients Private Info Is “Unethical”

Journal Of Medical Ethics: Reporting Ebola Patients’ Personal Information Is “Unethical.” In an October 3 post, The Journal of Medical Ethics stated: “The first confirmed case of ebola has been found in the US, in Texas - unsurprisingly someone who had recently been to Africa. This has prompted an outbreak… of unethical media reporting about the case, with several breaches of privacy which seem unlikely to be in the public interest. Specifically the media has disclosed the victim’s full name, then to add insult to injury they published both his address and then a map of where he lives.” (Journal of Medical Ethics, 10/3/14)

JME: Reporting Patients Private Info “Does No Good, And Has A Potential To Do Harm.” The Journal of Medical Ethics further wrote:

So this information is unlikely to help anyone protect themselves from being exposed to ebola - those who were already exposed (if any) have been exposed and are being contacted, and no one will now be exposed to this particular victim, so having their details in the public domain does no good, and has a potential to do harm in three ways:

1. It can reinforce false beliefs - “why would they tell us this if we weren’t at a significantly increased risk?”

2. It creates the potential for witch hunting - where the victim is blamed and potentially harmed - “civic-minded” citizens might take it upon themselves to “minimise” the risk of infection by burning down the apartment building he lives in for example.

3. It may perversely discourage other exposed travellers from seeking medical treatment and attention - it is worth noting that the victim took himself to hospital to seek treatment. If there is considerable public outcry, stigmatisation, distaste and displeasure the next victim may feel their details will be exposed in a similar fashion and avoid medical attention with predictably disasterous effects both for them, and for those potentially exposed to them. (Journal of Medical Ethics, 10/3/14, emphasis added)

Johnson Falsely Reported A Confirmed Case Of Ebola In New Jersey

Johnson Reported That A Case Of Ebola In New Jersey Had Been Confirmed. In an October 21 Twitter post, Johnson wrote that “sources” told him that an Ebola case had been “confirmed” in New Jersey:

Johnson’s Report Of A “Confirmed Case” Of Ebola Was Later Proven False. The Star-Ledger reported on October 25, “A nurse who became the first person quarantined under Gov. Chris Christie’s new Ebola-prevention policy has tested negative for the disease, the N.J. Department of Health reported Saturday morning. The unidentified woman had landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in apparent good health Friday, but was placed in a mandatory quarantine because her visit in Sierra Leone included time treating Ebola patients. While still at the quarantine station at the airport, she developed a fever and was taken to University Hospital in Newark for evaluation. (The Star-Ledger, 10/25/14)

Johnson Lashed Out At Nurse Because She Criticized Quarantine Policy. In an October 25 Dallas Morning News op-ed, the nurse who is being held in quarantine, Kaci Hickox, criticized the mandatory quarantine policy. In an October 26 GotNews post, Johnson called her a “registered Democrat with a history of left-wing advocacy.”

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