Report: Trump Officials Were Directed To Defend Kyle Rittenhouse Publicly, Documents Show
By: Jack Brewster (Forbes)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Jack BrewsterForbes StaffBusinessI'm a news reporter for Forbes. Updated Oct 1, 2020, 10:21am EDT
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Topline
Department of Homeland Security officials were told to express public comments that would portray Kyle Rittenhouse—the 17-year-old charged with shooting three people, two of them fatally, at a protest during a standoff between militia members and protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin—in a positive light, NBC reports, a further indication of the Trump administration's reluctance to condemn alleged right-wing violence and the politicization of the Rittenhouse case within the federal government, despite the events being part of an ongoing investigation.
KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, USA - AUGUST 25: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content.) A man on the ... [+] ground was shot in the chest as clashes between protesters and armed civilians who protect the streets of Kenosha against the arson during the third day of protests over the shooting of a black man Jacob Blake by police officer in Wisconsin, United States on August 25, 2020. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Key Facts
NBC News obtained internal DHS talking points that show officials were directed to defend Rittenhouse in the aftermath of the alleged shooting, including that the teenager "took his rifle to the scene of the rioting to help defend small business owners."
It's not clear whether the documents came from within DHS or the White House, but the talking points echo President Trump's rhetoric, ordering officials to convey a need for "law and order."
Even as the talking points stress for officials to say they can't comment on an ongoing investigation, it tells them to paint a picture of the situation that may leave out key details, including that Rittenhouse "was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them, killing two."
The documents also order officials to stress Rittenhouse is "innocent until proven guilty" and "deserves a fair trial based on all the facts, not just the ones that support a certain narrative," when they are asked by a reporter to comment on the shootings.
"This is why we try the accused in the court of law, not the star chamber of public opinion," the talking points say.
DHS officials told NBC News they do not comment on "leaked documents" when asked about this story.
Crucial Quote
President Trump has repeatedly defended Rittenhouse while leaving out key details. When asked about the shootings during a August 31 press conference, Trump said: "You saw the same tape as I saw...he was trying to get away from them, I guess; it looks like. And he fell, and then they very violently attacked him. And it was something that we're looking at right now and it's under investigation." The president went on to say about Rittenhouse: "I guess he was in very big trouble. He would have been — I — he probably would have been killed." Trump's defense of Rittenhouse follows a consistent theme—his reluctance to condemn violent right-wing protesters, while he repeatedly rails against antifa and other left wing demonstrators. During the debate on Tuesday, Trump did not condemn the extremist far-right group linked to white supremacists, the Proud Boys.
Key Background
The city of Kenosha, Wisconsin was plunged into violent unrest in the nights following the shooting of Jacob Blake by police. Two nights after the shooting—which left Blake paralyzed and became yet another symbol of police violence against Black people—armed militia members confronted crowds of demonstrators in Kenosha. Rittenhouse traveled from his home in Illinois to the protests in Kenosha that day with his gun and told a conservative media outlet, the Daily Caller, he was there to defend businesses. The complaint filed by prosecutors alleges Rittenhouse shot and killed one man, Joseph Rosenbaum, after Rosenbaum attempted to engage Rittenhouse and threw a plastic bag at him that did not hit him. According to the complaint, Rosenbaum later ran away from a group of protesters yelling about the first shooting and chasing them. Rittenhouse falls, and fires at a man, Anthony Huber, who dies. Rittenhouse then shoots at another man, Gaige Grosskreutz, who was approaching him, shooting him in the arm. Grosskreutz suffered injuries but was not killed. Rittenhouse has been charged with five felonies, including first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Further Reading
Internal document shows Trump officials were told to make comments sympathetic to Kyle Rittenhouse (NBC News)
Who Is Kyle Rittenhouse and What Happened in the Kenosha Shootings? ( Wall Street Journal )
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website. Send me a secure tip. Jack Brewster
I cover national politics for Forbes. Previously, I've written for TIME, Newsweek, the New York Daily News and VICE News. I also launched my own startup, Newsreel, a
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I cover national politics for Forbes. Previously, I've written for TIME, Newsweek, the New York Daily News and VICE News. I also launched my own startup, Newsreel, a politics news platform for a young audience.
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So the White House put their own spin on things by seeming to not discuss it but also trying to make it sound like Rittenhouse was just a poor boy in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Why am I not surprised.
the WH suppresses intelligence community information about right wing white supremacist domestic terrorists and promotes the threat of antifa at the direction of POS/POTUS.
A fascist protects a fascist.
Gee...