All posts tagged: smear

Justin Baldoni’s attorney blasts New York Times story about Blake Lively ‘smear campaign’ story

Justin Baldoni’s attorney blasts New York Times story about Blake Lively ‘smear campaign’ story

Published by Sam

An attorney for actor Justin Baldoni denied that there was a coordinated “smear campaign” against his client’s “It Ends With Us” co-star Blake Lively, telling NBC that The New York Times’ article about the actress’ allegations “destroyed people’s careers.” “They didn’t do their homework,” attorney Bryan Freedman said in an exclusive interview, a portion of which aired on Nightly News on Thursday and aired with additional clips on The TODAY Show on Friday. “They didn’t do anything to verify the whether or not there was the truth and veracity of the story and the correctness of the story, and had they done simple, basic investigation, that they would have learned what the truth of the story was.” In a statement on Dec. 31, the Times said it plans “to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” “The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” a spokesperson for the publication said in a statement. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages …

Ashcroft demands Starmer apology for Rayner ‘smear’ accusations | Michael Ashcroft

Ashcroft demands Starmer apology for Rayner ‘smear’ accusations | Michael Ashcroft

Published by skeptic

The row between Keir Starmer and Michael Ashcroft deepened on Friday after the billionaire Conservative donor demanded an apology from the Labour leader for accusing him of “smearing” Angela Rayner over her tax affairs. Lord Ashcroft hit back two days after Starmer said at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday: “We have a billionaire prime minister and a billionaire peer, both of whose families have used schemes to avoid millions of pounds of tax, smearing a working-class woman.” The comments came after several weeks of newspaper coverage of Rayner’s tax affairs prompted by Ashcroft’s book, Red Queen?, which have culminated in a police investigation. Ashcroft said in a statement: “I am shocked that a former director of public prosecutions could abuse parliamentary privilege by accusing me of smearing Angela Rayner over tax allegations. “If he reads my book, which I would suggest is an essential precursor for offering a critical view about its contents, he will discover that I make no allegations whatsoever about any impropriety on the part of his deputy. I think an apology …

Keir Starmer calls tax accusations against Angela Rayner a ‘smear’ | Angela Rayner

Keir Starmer calls tax accusations against Angela Rayner a ‘smear’ | Angela Rayner

Published by skeptic

Keir Starmer has launched a bullish defence of his embattled deputy, Angela Rayner, after the chief constable of Greater Manchester police said she was facing investigation “over a number of assertions”. The Labour leader told MPs on Wednesday he believed the accusation that Rayner lied about her primary residence to avoid tax was a “smear”. While Starmer has largely tried to avoid commenting on the controversy in recent weeks, he tackled the issue head-on during a session of prime minister’s questions during which the two party leaders traded personal attacks. Responding to comments by Rishi Sunak that the Labour leader should read Rayner’s tax returns rather than Liz Truss’s memoir, Starmer replied: “We’ve got a billionaire prime minister and a billionaire peer, both of whose families have used schemes to avoid millions of pounds of tax, smearing a working-class woman.” Starmer’s comments came hours after Stephen Watson, the chief constable of Greater Manchester police, said Rayner was under investigation on a number of accounts. Rayner has been accused of potentially breaching the Representation of the …

Here’s What Actually Happens During A Smear Test

Here’s What Actually Happens During A Smear Test

Published by skeptic

In a TikTok, anatomy teacher Josh Cottle shared exactly what happens “when your pap gets smeared” ― and even though I’ve actually been through the procedure, I learned a lot from the video. Showing a front-on diagram of a cervix and vagina, the educator shared that the vaginal tunnel leads up to the narrow entrance of the womb ― so far, I felt so educated. Then, the anatomy teacher revealed that in order to take the four-to-six-inch-long journey from the vagina to the cervix, professionals have to use a lubricated speculum ― a hollow medical instrument that allows you to “see” the womb when open. Again, I knew that much ― but I had no clue about what happened next. Which is? A device is used to swab the cervix to collect cell samples, Cottle revealed. But the device which collects the cells isn’t what I’d thought. “It is essentially a cervical Scrub Daddy,” the creator said of the brush-like head of the device. The NHS calls the collector a “soft brush.” The longer bristles …

Biden’s Muslim American judicial nominee threatened by smear campaign

Biden’s Muslim American judicial nominee threatened by smear campaign

Published by Sam

(RNS) — Late last year, President Biden nominated the first Muslim American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals. But in the wake of Israel’s war on Gaza, that nomination may now be in jeopardy. Biden’s pick, Adeel Abdullah Mangi, has a distinguished two-decade career as a corporate litigator based in New Jersey. Born in Pakistan and educated at Oxford and Harvard, he has also done pro bono legal work focused on fighting for religious liberty. But when Mangi, 47, went up to Congress for a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in December, he was not grilled about his judicial philosophy but about his views on terrorism and Jews. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz asked him, “Do you condemn the atrocities of Hamas terrorists?” Another suggested he was antisemitic. Mangi was even asked: “Do you celebrate the anniversary of 9/11 in your home?” To many Muslims and others, the questions on the part of Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were unvarnished examples of Islamophobia. “I think in the climate we are in …

Ex-Post Office Chair Claims Victim Of Government Smear Campaign

Ex-Post Office Chair Claims Victim Of Government Smear Campaign

Published by Sam

Henry Staunton, the ex-chairman of the Post Office, has said he is the victim of “a smear campaign” by business secretary Kemi Badenoch. Staunton has been engaged in bitter a war of words with Badenoch over his claim he was told by a senior civil servant to delay compensation payments to victims of the Horizon IT scandal. Badenoch, who sacked Staunton from his post, has rejected the accusation as “lies”. Staunton was made Post Office chairman in December 2022, but was sacked by Badenoch in January 2024 following the pubic outcry over the Horizon scandal. The minister has said one reason he was fired was that he failed to co-operate with an internal Post Office investigation into his behaviour. Speaking to MPs on the Commons business committee this afternoon, Staunton said he stands by his allegation, which he made in a Sunday Times interview two weeks ago. He said he “was left in no doubt” that Sarah Munby, then the top civil servant at the business department, had wanted him to slow down payments because …