Oops: Huff Post, Reuters attribute comments to Glenn… but he never spoke publicly about the story

Last week, TheBlaze published a story about the city of Salem, Massachusetts’s decision to end an agreement with Gordon College – a private, Christian school that recently banned “homosexual behavior” among students and faculty. The contract between the school and the town had been set to end in August, but Kimberley Driscoll, the mayor of Salem, confirmed the early opt-out because of the school’s “behavioral standards.”

Read the full article via TheBlaze HERE.

This particular article from TheBlaze’s Dean Graham was really no different than any other report, but it soon turned into a big story after news outlets like Reuters and Huffington Post picked up a Facebook post from the Salem mayor that attributed sentiments expressed in the comments section of the article to be Glenn’s personally.

On radio this morning, Glenn called out the media organizations who failed to follow the most basic journalistic practices when putting their own stories together, and he finally offered his actual thoughts on the topic.

TheBlaze article on Salem’s decision ran last Monday, and on Wednesday, the mayor of the city wrote posted a letter on her Facebook page about the feedback her office had received about its decision to cut ties with the school.

The only problem? Glenn never commented on the story publically, and he admitted he actually hadn’t even read TheBlaze report on the topic.

“When I read on the Huffington Post about my opposition to the mayor's decision, it was the first I had heard about the story. I didn't even know the story. It was unbelievable. I'm reading this and I'm like, ‘Wow. I said that?’ I had never said a word,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “In fact… I wrote to Stu. I wrote to Tiffany. I wrote to Dan. I wrote to Pat. ‘Anybody heard of this story?’ All of them never even heard of this story. That didn't stop Reuters from printing a news story claiming that I had.”

While the Huffington Post and Reuters took Driscoll’s claims at face value, Esquire at least dug a little deeper into where the so-called Glenn Beck connection in this story came from – aside from the fact that he is the founder and chairman of TheBlaze.

“Beck’s website, The Blaze, ran a story about the mayor’s decision to terminate its contract with Gordon,” Esquire’s Ban Collins writes. “Somebody posted the phone number to Driscoll’s office in the comments section. Driscoll’s office started receiving dozens of phone calls.”

While Glenn has grown accustomed to reading media reports about him that are less than truthful, he found it difficult to understand how any purported news source could use an un-attributed Facebook post as the basis of a report without so much as a fact-check.

“They got this from a Facebook post as a source. That's not a typo. You didn't hear that in error. Reuters wrote a story about a Facebook post. They didn't call us for comment. They didn't search to see if I had ever said anything about the story,” Glenn explained. “Because of this, dozens of outlets ran with my supposed opposition to something I don't even know about. That's how bad our media is today… They are using Facebook posts as legitimate sources without calling for any secondary source.”

Reuters has since issued correction clarifying TheBlaze article referenced was not authored by Glenn himself. But that doesn’t really get at the heart of the problem. Glenn decided it would be best if he commented on the story – for the first time – so at least other news organizations would have a real, quotable opinion to reference.

“I'm in the awkward position of realizing that while my opinion about a story is apparently vitally important, nobody has asked me about my opinion about it,” Glenn said. “So let me give you my unsolicited opinion – and I mean completely unsolicited. Reuters, Huff-Po, nobody has asked me my opinion. But in case it matters to some journalists, here it is:”

I don't have anything bad to say about Salem or the mayor. Nothing. They can do business with whomever they choose. That's it. Even the college admits that the city had executed a valid clause in their contract. That's what the college says. It's a valid clause. They can opt out. Okay. Here's the thing. People of Salem, you choose whether that was a good decision or a bad decision the next time the mayor is up for election. And my guess is you're going to think it's a good choice. You're going to think it was fine.

You know what may be unpopular in Salem, or at least inside the mayor's office, is the constitutionally protected speech of the students and a faculty at a private religious college. That may be unpopular. But that's what the First Amendment protects. Unpopular speech. Things that other people don't like. Gordon College has a right to stand for their religious belief. And there's every indication that they will. And I applaud them.

I also applaud Salem for standing up for what you believe. You had a contract. That's what it said… You're just cancelling it. The town has a right to decide based on the First Amendment. The college has a right to stand its ground based on the First Amendment. When it comes to religion, we have to protect the things that we don't like, which you would think out of all the cities in America, Salem would understand… We don't have to agree on everything. But we do have to love and respect everybody…

I will continue to give people like the mayor the benefit of the doubt and just say I'm sure she's a fine human being. I'm sure she's really motivated by what she believes. I just dislike her actions, and it's wrong to lie. I strongly encourage politicians to stop lying. But I still believe that she's my sister through God. We're brothers and sisters…

I can't personally vouch for the North Shore Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Youth. That's the charity that she says [she’s] going to give $5 to. Everybody that calls, [she’ll] give them $5. They describe themselves as a safe place for LBGT youth to come together. And here's the great thing. Here's the bonus for you: They meet in a church. So I applaud the mayor's reliance on private charity and a church instead of government to advance the important issues affecting her community socially.

I don't know the mayor personally. I don't know whether she was sincere or not in her vow to donate $5 for each and every call that comes in. But based on her signed promise… she would donate to this service.

Now I'm tempted, because I'm giving you my unsolicited opinion, to encourage every single one of my listeners to call the mayor's office of Salem and issue a respectful complaint saying, ‘I love you as a sister… You're great. But I have to respectfully issue a complaint’ – because whether it's honest or not, she'd be forced to part with more money than she's ever earned somehow or another.

But that's the old me. (laughs) So I'm not encouraging that. And I'd be very disappointed if anybody ever did that. But I'm a work in progress.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

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Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

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The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

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Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

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The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

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Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

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Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

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The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

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Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

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As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity

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Dependable, affordable electricity has been a staple of American life for decades, but that might all be coming to an end. Glenn has discussed recent actions taken by Biden, like orders to halt new oil and gas production and efforts to switch to less efficient sources of power, like wind or solar, the price of electricity is only going to go up. This, alongside his efforts to limit air conditioning and ban gas stoves, it almost seems Biden is attempting to send us back to the Stone Age.

4 signs that PROVE Americans are hitting rock bottom

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As we approach the presidential election in November, many Americans are facing dire economic straits.

Glenn has shown time and time again that Bidenomics is a sham, and more Americans than ever are suffering as a result. Still, Biden and his cronies continue to insist that the economy is booming despite the mounting evidence to the contrary. But who is Biden fooling? Since the beginning of the year, gas has gone up an average of 40 cents a gallon nationwide, with some states seeing as much as a 60-cent per gallon increase. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Foreclosures and bankruptcies are on the rise, evictions are surging, and America is experiencing a record amount of homelessness. We can't survive another Biden term.

Americans across the country are hitting rock bottom, and here are four stats that PROVE it:

Evictions

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Across the country, people are being evicted from their homes and apartments. Between 2021 and 2023, evictions increased by 78.6 percent. With inflation driving up prices and employers struggling to raise wages to compensate, rent is taking up an increasingly larger percentage of people's paychecks. Many Americans are having to choose between buying groceries and paying rent.

Foreclosures

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Renters aren't the only ones struggling to make their monthly payments, foreclosures are on the rise. This February saw a 5 percent increase in foreclosures from last year and a 10 percent increase from January. More and more Americans are losing their homes and businesses.

Bankruptcies

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High interest rates and inflation have driven bankruptcies through the roof. Total filings have risen 13 percent and business bankruptcies rose 30 percent in 2023. It's getting harder and harder for businesses to stay afloat, and with California's new law requiring most restaurants to pay all employees a minimum of $20 an hour, you can expect that number to keep climbing.

Homelessness

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The result of all of these issues is that it is getting harder and harder for Americans to afford the basic necessities. January of 2023 saw a record-breaking 650,000+ homeless Americans, a 12 percent jump from the previous year. More Americans have hit rock bottom than ever before.