The Weekly Standard released audio Saturday evening to back up its reporting on Rep. Steve King’s apparent reference to immigrants as “dirt” after the Iowa Republican accused its reporter of lying and challenged the outlet to release a recording.
On Tuesday, Election Day, The Weekly Standard’s Adam Rubenstein reported that King appeared to have made a thinly veiled jab at Mexicans at a Monday campaign stop in Webster City, Iowa.
The outlet reported on a particular exchange with attendees in which he talked about making pheasant noodle soup with spicy jalapenos.
“It scares off some of the people so there’s a little more for the rest of us to eat. I raised a bunch this year, and they don’t have enough bite. I guess I’m going to have to go and get some dirt from Mexico to grow the next batch,” King said.
After some laughter, an attendee said, “Trust me, it’s already on its way.”
“Well, yeah, there’s plenty of dirt, it’s coming from the West Coast, too. And a lot of other places, besides. This is the most dirt we’ve ever seen,” King replied.
The Weekly Standard said King’s son and campaign manager Jeff called afterwards to complain of a misquote, but the outlet said told him it stood by its reporting and reserved the right to publish the audio.
King then sent a torrent of tweets criticizing The Weekly Standard and challenging the outlet to release its tape.
The Weekly “NO” Standard(s) has joined HuffPo at the bottom of the lying journalistic gutter. No question that now their purpose is to write willful lies to advance a Leftist agenda. We threw this WS writer out after he disqualified himself. https://t.co/05k0KMnkld
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) November 9, 2018
Except, YOU @StephenfHayes know better. You heard it directly from Jeff King and chose to defend your junk yard dog. You refused to release the tape. We ejected your guy & his HuffPo pack mate. https://t.co/z2QV9aOitL
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) November 10, 2018
Rachael @RachaelBL Just release the full tape. Leftists lies exist without original sources because they are false and manufactured accusations. Weekly Standard is transitioning into “Antifa News”. https://t.co/oeoQ0c2QJ2
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) November 10, 2018
In released two minutes of audio on Saturday, editor in chief Stephen Hayes reiterated that The Weekly Standard stood by its story and urged readers to review King’s “history of bigoted comments and a recent obsession with the ‘caravan’ of immigrants traveling through Mexico to the United States.”
Editor’s note: The Washington Examiner and The Weekly Standard are owned by the same parent company, Clarity Media Group.
