NBC, FOX coverage of Capitol Hill sex tape scandal is starkly different

Dec 18, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

A Senate staffer at the center of a sex tape controversy has reportedly been fired, leading to contrasting headlines from different news outlets. The pornographic video reportedly involves two men and seems to have been recorded inside a Senate hearing room.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The video was first covered by The Daily Caller. The outlet reported the film was originally posted in a private social media group. The video, which has since been leaked, led to the ousting of an aide for Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.

The staffer, identified as Aidan Maese-Czeropski, released a statement on LinkedIn.

“I have been attacked for who I love to pursue a political agenda. While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgment, I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace,” Maese-Czeropski wrote. “Any attempts to characterize my actions otherwise are fabricated.”

The revelation has led to some reports critical of the scandal’s coverage.

NBC, a reportedly left-leaning news outlet, published an article titled, “Senate staffer alleged by conservative outlets to have had sex in a hearing room is no longer employed.”

In a response, Fox News, a right-leaning news outlet, published the headline, “NBC News frames Senate sex tape video as ‘conservative news outlets’ pushing the story.”

Sen. Cardin also released a statement when the story first came to light, saying his office had seen the reports from the “right-wing media” and were investigating.

Tags: Ben Cardin, Capitol Hill, Fox News, NBC, U.S. Senate

[KARAH RUCKER]

A SEX TAPE FILMED INSIDE THE CAPITOL, AND A SENATE STAFFER REPORTEDLY AT THE CENTER OF THE CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN FIRED. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW.

A PORNOGRAPHIC VIDEO INVOLVING TWO MEN SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN RECORDED INSIDE A SENATE HEARING ROOM.

THE DAILY CALLER WAS FIRST TO REPORT ON THE CAPITOL HILL SCANDAL. THEY SAY THE FILM WAS FIRST POSTED IN A PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA GROUP.

THE VIDEO LEAKED AND HAS LED TO THE OUSTING OF A STAFFER FOR DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BEN CARDIN OF MARYLAND.

THE STAFFER RELEASED A STATEMENT ON LINKEDIN:

“I HAVE BEEN ATTACKED FOR WHO I LOVE TO PURSUE A POLITICAL AGENDA. WHILE SOME OF MY ACTIONS IN THE PAST HAVE SHOWN POOR JUDGMENT, I LOVE MY JOB AND WOULD NEVER DISRESPECT MY WORKPLACE. ANY ATTEMPTS TO CHARACTERIZE MY ACTIONS OTHERWISE ARE FABRICATED.”

THE REVELATION HAS LED TO SOME REPORTS CRITICAL OF THE COVERAGE OF THE SCANDAL.

NBC’S HEADLINE, “SENATE STAFFER ALLEGED BY CONSERVATIVE OUTLETS TO HAVE HAD SEX IN A HEARING ROOM IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED.”

FOX’S HEADLINE READ “NBC NEWS FRAMES SENATE SEX TAPE VIDEO AS ‘CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLETS’ PUSHING THE STORY.”

EVEN SENATOR CARDIN RELEASED A STATEMENT WHEN THE STORY WAS FIRST COMING TO LIGHT SAYING THEY HAD SEEN THE REPORTS FROM THE QUOTE “RIGHT-WING MEDIA” AND WERE INVESTIGATING.

THAT INVESTIGATION HAS SO FAR LED TO THE FIRING OF THEIR STAFFER.