3 CNN staffers are out over retracted Russia investigation story

pulse

June 27, 2017 12:51 AM

The story relied on only one source who made claims that were refuted almost immediately after the story was published.

A CNN reporter and two editors have resigned over a story the news network retracted days ago.

The article written by Thomas Frank claimed that the Senate Intelligence Committee was looking into Anthony Scaramucci, a former Goldman Sachs executive and key member of President Donald Trump's transition team, over a meeting he had with Kirill Dmitriev, an executive from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), during the transition.

Frank, editor Eric Lichtblau, and the editor-in-chief of "CNN Investigates," Lex Haris, have resigned from CNN, according to a Washington Post report on Monday.

Frank's story, which cited only one source, alleged that RDIF was linked to the Russian state bank, Venesheconombank, an institution that has previously been subject to US sanctions. Several Russia-linked media outlets denied the connection, The Post reported.

CNN's story also said that the Senate Intelligence Committee's alleged inquiry into Scaramucci's meeting with RDIF was being done in concert with a separate investigation of Jared Kushner's December meeting with Venesheconombank CEO Sergey Gorkov, a matter that has gained increased scrutiny as the Russia investigation focused more closely on Kushner's business dealings in recent weeks.

Scaramucci denied any wrongdoing, and later applauded CNN for doing "the right thing" by retracting the story:

Here is the retraction CNN posted on Friday:

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