A journalist was roundly condemned after visiting the home of a paramedic in Utah who donated $10 to Kyle Rittenhouse’s legal defense fund, with many asking why posting images of the man’s home didn’t violate Twitter’s policy on doxxing and harassment.
The incident occurred after the Guardian newspaper published the names of individuals who had donated to Rittenhouse following a data breach from a Christian crowdfunding website.
Among those names was West Valley City, Utah paramedic Craig Shepherd, who immediately became the target of an attempt by ABC4 reporter Jason Nguyen to further expose his identity.
“A Utah paramedic donated to the defense fund of Kyle Rittenhouse. It was first reported in the @guardian this morning,” tweeted Nguyen, claiming, “I tried to get the paramedics side of things.”
https://twitter.com/FollowWIN/status/1383252307358277633
In trying to “get the paramedics side of things,” Nguyen tweeted a photo of Shepherd’s front door, making his location easily discoverable.
Numerous respondents immediately accused Nguyen as hiding behind journalism as an excuse to carry out stalking, harassment and doxxing.
Are you trying to get him killed?
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 19, 2021
Shit like this is why people hate the media. If something happens to him or his family because you needed a ratings boost, I hope you and your station get sued into oblivion.
— Whatever (@MIFrenchieMom) April 18, 2021
Stalking is a crime.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) April 18, 2021
Wait showing up on a private citizens doorstep with cameras based on leaked information about private donations?! How is that appropriate?
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 18, 2021
This isn't investigative journalism. This is stalking, intimidation, and harassment.
— AdamInHTownTX (Not a Biologist) (@AdamInHTownTX) April 18, 2021
I’m a Democrat, and what you did, contacting the paramedic, was not journalism, it was harassment and none of your business.
— seasidechic (@seasidechic) April 18, 2021
Others pointed out that despite Twitter repeatedly suspending or banning conservative media outlets like Project Veritas for doorstepping public officials and other prominent figures, they took no action whatsoever against Nguyen for doxxing Craig Shepherd.
https://twitter.com/bonchieredstate/status/1383894236412604426
Indeed, when the list of names was leaked, Twitter chose to make the issue one of its top trending subjects.
Thanks to Nguyen’s brave reporting, West Valley City Fire Department is now conducting an investigation into Shepherd’s $10 donation and has placed him on administrative leave, with his job now in jeopardy.
Predictably, Nguyen chose to ignore the most hard hitting criticism and only respond to an angry troll to make himself appear as the victim while using the late death of his mother as a shield for criticism.
https://twitter.com/FollowWIN/status/1383818352842350595
As Glenn Greenwald highlighted, Nguyen is following in the fine tradition of CNN, who doorstepped and harassed an elderly lady in 2018 for contributing to a pro-Trump Facebook page.
Some journalists go to war zones. Some confront security state agencies and repressive regimes. Some uncover the fraudulent schemes of Wall Street tycoons. And then some bullies abuse the profession to harass and expose private, powerless people.https://t.co/iC6zIbu4GH
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 18, 2021
Is it any wonder why trust in media is so low and disgust for journalists so high when their primary purpose now appears to revolve around destroying people’s lives for the sin of expressing dissident opinions?
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