On Tuesday, the Daily Kos retracted an article misattributing a quote to the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh regarding the Saturday night shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The article in question, “Matt Walsh only upset ‘more people weren’t killed’ at Club Q: Twitter takes highlight GOP hypocrisy” by Daily Kos staff writer Lauren Sue which was originally published Monday afternoon, misattributed a quote to Walsh regarding the shooting in their headline. Walsh noted the outlet’s egregious misrepresentation of his comment early Tuesday morning.
“I’m used to being defamed by the media but this from the vile rodents at @dailykos is atrocious even by their standards,” said Walsh in a Tuesday tweet commenting on Sue’s article.
“They use the quotes in their headline to make it seem like I said this, but of course I never did. These ghouls will stoop to anything. Nothing is beneath them”
The author of this article is Lauren Sue (@Honeycombmoms). Her last name may be a glance into her own future.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 22, 2022
“Disgusting. We have emailed @dailykos demanding an immediate retraction, correction, and apology,” said the Daily Wire’s VP of Public Relations Alyssa Cordova. “We’ve also referred the matter to our general counsel.”
“Update: Daily Kos has deleted the article but that’s not going to be nearly good enough,” Walsh followed up shortly after. “I need a full published retraction and an apology in writing. They aren’t going to be able to get out of this by deleting it and moving on.”
Update: Daily Kos has deleted the article but that’s not going to be nearly good enough. I need a full published retraction and an apology in writing. They aren’t going to be able to get out of this by deleting it and moving on. pic.twitter.com/FZ2RnibxvW
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 22, 2022
Shortly after Walsh’s update, the Daily Kos retracted Sue’s article.
“In a previous headline for this article, we misattributed a quote to Matt Walsh,” the outlet wrote in a statement. “We regret not properly quoting Walsh’s tweet. This article is in direct violation of our editorial policy, and we have removed it.”
“Update: the Daily Kos has retracted their defamatory headline and confessed to misquoting me,” Walsh reported Tuesday afternoon. “I take great pleasure in knowing how painful it was for them to do as I demand and admit guilt.”
Update: the Daily Kos has retracted their defamatory headline and confessed to misquoting me.
I take great pleasure in knowing how painful it was for them to do as I demand and admit guilt. pic.twitter.com/nn1HEaCEdX
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 22, 2022
The original quote used by Sue appears to originate from Harvard Law Cyberlaw Clinic’s Alejandra Caraballo, who suggested Walsh was “upset that more people weren’t killed” in an early Monday tweet.
“Matt Walsh isn’t upset that someone shot up a gay bar, he’s upset that more people weren’t killed,” she wrote. “He has a bloodlust for the murder of LGBTQ people. He’s doubling down on it and wants more of it.”
Caraballo shared a screenshot of Walsh’s original Sunday tweets commenting on the shooting. However, Walsh never states he was upset that “more people weren’t killed.”
Matt Walsh isn't upset that someone shot up a gay bar, he's upset that more people weren't killed. He has a bloodlust for the murder of LGBTQ people. He's doubling down on it and wants more of it. pic.twitter.com/QEyDkuMXzN
— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) November 21, 2022
“Leftists are using a mass shooting to try and blackmail us into accepting the castration and sexualization of children. These people are just beyond evil. I have never felt more motivated to oppose everything they stand for, with every fiber of my being. Despicable scumbags,” said Walsh on Sunday following the shooting.
“People die and the first thing they think is, ‘Yes! We can use this as ammo against conservatives who don’t think children should be exposed to drag shows!’ Soulless demons. Evil to the core. Truly.”
People die and the first thing they think is, "Yes! We can use this as ammo against conservatives who don't think children should be exposed to drag shows!"
Soulless demons. Evil to the core. Truly.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 21, 2022
Timcast News reached out to the Daily Kos for comment regarding their retraction and apology requested by Walsh though the outlet did not immediately respond.