Theory Says The Trump Golden Showers Story Is Fan Fiction — Here’s What We Know
You're going to be reading a lot of conflicting and confusing stuff about the Donald Trump "golden shower" secret document today.
The outrageous claim that Russia collected dirt to use against the president-elect has been linked to the "highest level of government" by one media outlet, but branded a hoax by 4chan users.
Basically, it could be a load of nonsense. So how seriously should we be taking it? Here's what we know so far:
The "classified" document dropped last night.
The explosive and unverified dossier was published in full by BuzzFeed on Tuesday night.
It was obtained by Ken Bensinger through his "characteristically ferocious reporting," claims editor-in-chief Ben Smith, in an email to staff he has since publicly tweeted.
Smith says the document has been circulated "at the highest level of American government."
President Obama and Trump are aware of the document.
This document was allegedly put in front of President Barack Obama and Trump by intelligence chiefs last week, reports CNN, which sources its information from "multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings."
Where did the document come from?
It was reportedly put together by a former British intelligence officer, but that has not been verified yet.
If unsure about its authenticity, why did BuzzFeed publish?
I speak on my own behalf -- and not that of Elite Daily's -- when I say BuzzFeed made the right call in publishing the document.
The allegations inside the dossier are wildly defamatory, but -- if true -- it's in the public's best interest to know.
BuzzFeed's treatment of the story is fair and balanced. Reporters lay out the facts and cast serious doubt on its authenticity.
They've been handed a howler but have not sensationalized, only packaged in a responsible way that lets readers make up their own mind: "What you choose to believe is up to you; this is what we know."
No one should be slamming their decision to publish, in my opinion.
Trump responded on Twitter.
And then again in a press conference, claiming he could never take part in a golden shower because he's a germaphobe.
Trump's lawyer laughed off the claims.
Michael Cohen dismissed them completely, telling Mic,
Somebody is having a lot of fun at your expense. It's so ridiculous on so many levels. Clearly the person who created this did so from their imagination or did so hoping that the liberal media would run with this fake story for whatever rationale they might have.
4chan users claim to have fabricated the document.
A comment posted on social media website 4chan claiming a user made up the dossier has gone viral.
Someone says the "fanfiction" was given to "anti-Trump pundit Rick Wilson," who then handed it to officials.
Presented in a confusing format, it reads,
/pol/acks mailed fanfiction to anti-trump pundit Rick Wilson about trump making people piss on a bed obama slept in >he thought it was real and gave it to the CIA >the central intelligence agency of the united states of america put this in their official classified intelligence report on russian involvement in the election >donald trump and obama have both read this pol/acks fanfiction >the cia has concluded that the russian plans to blackmail trump with this story we made up just let that sink in what we have become.
Rick Wilson strongly denies the claims.
Wilson has since published a lengthy rebuttal, in which he strongly denies being BuzzFeed's source and having any knowledge of the allegations against Trump prior to the document's publication.
So where does that leave us?
Up a certain creek without a paddle, quite frankly. It's unclear if or when the document's veracity will be proven -- and what will happen if it is actually true.
Citations: Intel chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him (CNN), These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia (BuzzFeed)
