Right Wing Crackpot Chuck C. Johnson Now Harassing Ferguson Reporters
In today’s story about right wing journalism, Dave Weigel has a piece on our stalker pal Chuck C. Johnson, who is now targeting journalists for harassment campaigns and inciting his crazed knuckle-dragging followers to deluge them with hatred.
On November 25, Johnson published a story at his independent GotNews website with the headline “Why Can’t We Publish Addresses Of New York Times Reporters?” Spoiler: He didn’t agree with that headline.
“It would be wrong, for example, to publish Bosman’s address,” wrote Johnson, publishing the reporter’s address. “It would be similarly wrong to publish the address of Robertson, too.” Ditto. “So why do journalists think they are beyond examination?”
What followed was a crowdsourced campaign of trolling that succeeded in quieting Bosman and Robertson. Neither reporter has tweeted since November 25. Robertson, who I met this year covering a story in Louisiana, has taken steps to remove his family from any possible threats. A simple Twitter search reveals dozens of people tweeting at the reporters, at the rate of one of about one per hour, spreading their addresses. While liberal Twitter was pummeling a GOP staffer who’d written an ill-advised criticism of the First Daughters, elements of conservative Twitter were attacking the Times reporters.
“You are a stupid ignorant slut,” wrote one Twitter user. “Will you rest well tonight at [Bosman’s address]?”
“If u support #DarrenWilson,” wrote another, “send #juliebowman [sic] the reporter who pub’d his home address, pizza to [Bosman’s address] at 10pm.”
“If you’re in #NewOrleans this guy needs help,” wrote another. “He’s giving away #Christmas $$$.” That was followed by Robertson’s address.
We should note that Johnson’s stagy freak-out is framed as retaliation for the Times publishing Darren Wilson’s home address — which they absolutely did not do.
Chuck C. Johnson is also now targeting Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery, posting the address of Lowery’s parents on Twitter.
@KatMcKinley he does. I just wish he’d take my parents address off of twitter and his deranged followers would stop threatening colleagues
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) December 1, 2014
This hateful cretin is really running amok. This is where right wing journalism has ended up — in outright stalking and harassment, based on false claims and creepy smear tactics.