CNN had to make a correction in their reporting this week after trying to discredit a portion of Alabama Senator Katie Britt's State of the Union rebuttal. Britt had included the story of an unnamed sex trafficking victim to highlight the devastating effects of the ongoing border crisis. The victim was later identified as Karla Jacinto, who had endured extreme brutality from the ages of 12 to 16 at the hands of traffickers in Mexico. However, CNN's claims ran counter to past reporting on Jacinto and her own words.
CNN had interviewed Jacinto over the weekend, and in their subsequent story, they made several claims in an attempt to discredit Britt's portrayal of the story. However, these claims were not supported by previous reporting or Jacinto's own testimony. For example, CNN said that Britt had inaccurately claimed to have had a one-on-one meeting with Jacinto. However, Britt had only stated that she "spoke" with Jacinto while traveling to the border in Texas. When reached for comment, CNN clarified that it was Jacinto's view that Britt had claimed a one-on-one meeting, not the outlet's.
Additionally, CNN accused Britt of incorrectly stating that Jacinto was trafficked by Mexican drug cartels. However, Britt had never mentioned "drug cartels" in her rebuttal, only referring to "cartels" in general. This was similar to how Jacinto had previously described her traffickers as part of a "crime organization." Furthermore, Jacinto had also described the criminal organization as a "family."
Joe Biden's policies have been a gift to the cartels that are engaged in horrific sex trafficking and bringing fentanyl to the U.S.
Katie Britt is absolutely right and that's why the media is attacking her.
That want to smear any conservative who speaks out.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) March 11, 2024
Jacinto has shared her story of being trafficked on multiple occasions, including during a roundtable discussion with Britt and other senators, where she described being almost trafficked to the U.S. at the age of 14. During this meeting, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith had also referred to Jacinto's traffickers as part of a "drug cartel and a human trafficker."
CNN's portrayal of Britt's rebuttal as inaccurate and using Jacinto's story for political gain was disputed by both Britt and Jacinto's advocacy group, Reintegra. They stated that Jacinto's story has remained consistent over the years and that she was not pressured or coerced to alter her story. Reintegra also emphasized that Jacinto is focused on raising awareness about human trafficking and uniting people from both political sides to combat this issue.
Republicans showed support for Britt, accusing the media of trying to smear her for speaking out against the detrimental effects of the border crisis. Sen. Tom Cotton called out the media for attacking any conservative who speaks out against Joe Biden's policies that have resulted in record profits for cartels and numerous deaths at the border. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also criticized the media for targeting Britt, stating that she was speaking the truth about the border crisis.
Britt responded to the media's attack, stating that it was time for them to focus on the real issue at hand – the suffering caused by the current border policies. She pointed out that the cartels are making immense profits from human trafficking, and too many people are dying due to brutal murders and fentanyl poisoning. She firmly believes that the media is trying to silence her for speaking the truth and that they need to start addressing the real issues instead of covering for Biden's re-election campaign.
Britt, who has been considered a rising star in the Republican Party, has also been rumored as a potential vice presidential running mate for former President Trump in the upcoming general election. Despite the media's attempts to discredit her and her rebuttal, Britt stands by her words and continues to advocate for solutions to address the devastating effects of the border crisis. It is now up to the American people to look beyond the media's biased reporting and focus on the real issues at hand. The suffering caused by the border crisis cannot be ignored any longer, and it is crucial for all parties to work together and find solutions for the benefit of the country and its people.