Today’s reveal that WaPo allowed a political opponent to anonymously invent Trump quotes is quite the story. But my favorite “anonymous” story remains “Anonymous”! That was when the NYT tried to suggest a disgruntled low-level staffer was Trump cabinet official or family member.

Mollie Hemingway, via 𝕏

And instead he was like “John Willoughby, III,” at the Bureau of Engraving or some such. I love that story so much. Also, there were no repercussions for the NYT, other than the further loss of credibility. WP and CNN also ran puff pieces/hired the low-level dude. Good times.

Mollie Hemingway, via 𝕏

Also when CNN used two “anonymous” sources to falsely accuse Don Jr of having advance knowledge of a Russia Wikileaks thing but it turned out that their supposedly independent “sources” both managed to get the date on the email wrong. Also that other outlets “confirmed” it. Fun.

Mollie Hemingway, via 𝕏

Or maybe my favorites are the 2,472,547 “Russia collusion hoax” stories all based on completely sketchy anonymous sources and all totally false, for which our media gave themselves awards. And then pretended it was all NBD once they were exposed as hacks.

Mollie Hemingway, via 𝕏

But The Atlantic’s anonymously sourced Aisne-Marne Cemetery/Trump hates soldiers story — completely refuted by common sense, massive on-the-record rebuttals, government emails, and historical weather reports — was pretty bad, too, and quite consequential.

Mollie Hemingway, via 𝕏