Originally published November 9 2015
Washington Post columnist admits to spreading GMO propaganda while collecting 'plenty' of money from biotech front groups
by J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) Readers of Natural News know that most mainstream, legacy newspapers pretty much parrot the corporate line on everything from finances to banking to industry and food, especially genetically modified food.
As noted in a recent TruthWiki entry, one reporter who regularly shills for GMOs and profits from it is Tamar Haspel of the Washington Post. Truthwiki notes this phenomenon is called "buckraking" – profiting financially by promoting certain foods and products (and so-called "science").
The site notes:
Most readers of the Washington Post would like to read actual news when they read the paper, but with Tamar Haspel at the wheel of the adulterated food conversation, they're getting complete fiction – the industry-hack-written propaganda reiterated that says consuming chemicals is good for you, and chemicals are good to spray on the soil, the crops, the animals and the children. All chemicals are wonderful and are backed by solid science so never worry if it says "peer reviewed" or "GMO" it's good to go. There is a horrible conflict of interest here between Haspel's beat as a food columnist and pocketing a small fortune from the likes of Monsanto. How could you ever say anything bad, or ask any tough questions, or challenge the "norm" or even report the real news on food, agriculture, organics, and sustainability? Tamar Haspel is reporting fiction, much in the way best-selling fiction writer Amy Harmon is selling the public on the false benefits of GMO.
TruthWiki's findings are based in part on research by U.S. Right To Know (USRTK), which reported on September 28 that Haspel admitted on Twitter that she had received "plenty" of cash from pro-agricultural chemical firms.
"Following her admission, I thought it might be useful to report on journalists – including Haspel – mentioned in the documents we have received from state public records requests," Gary Ruskin wrote for USRTK.
He said the organization is conducting an investigation into food and agri-tech industries as well as their public relations firms and front groups and the professors and academics who speak on their behalf.
Haspel is part of that investigation.
As further noted at TruthWiki, the concept of "buckraking" is poisonous to journalism because it destroys any semblance of objectivity; the site says buckraking is to journalists what huge speaking fees from foreign governments are to Bill and Hillary Clinton, the latter of whom is attempting to become the next president. The compromising position in which such practices put people makes it impossible to remain fair-minded.
Pretending to be journalists
"Which company will Haspel write about next, a sponsor or a co-sponsor? Will she write for a for-profit company if they hand her lots of cash as long as there's a non-profit over in the corner at the event, even if she doesn't collude with them?" says the TruthWiki entry. "Is that the cover story Haspel will continue using to justify her interactions with the most hated, sinister company on the planet–Monsanto? This is the epitome of buckracking."
In recent weeks, Natural News editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, reported that a number of other mainstream media journalists writing for mostly left-wing propaganda sites and newspapers have been exposed as buckraking shills for corporate advertisers and industries trying to control the narrative and debate over certain dangerous compounds.
"These Monsanto operatives pretending to be journalists write for The Washington Post, New York Times, Discover, Slate, Nature and various 'science' websites," he wrote. "Many of them openly admit to being paid by Monsanto and gladly accepting the money. Then they turn around and write stories attacking clean food activists or hawking whatever GMO propaganda Monsanto is pushing that day."
You can read Adams' full report here.
Read the full TruthWiki entry here.
Sources include:
TruthWiki.org
GMWatch.org
USRTK.org
NaturalNews.com
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