FAIR Sets The Record Straight On False Allegations Made By MSNBC's Rachael Maddow

Today FAIR released a letter sent to MSNBC president Phil Griffin regarding false allegations about Prop. 200 and Protect Arizona Now made by Rachel Maddow on her show and blog. "Most egregiously, Ms. Maddow publicly accused Mr. Stein of lying about expenditures made in support of Proposition 200, which appeared on the Arizona ballot in 2004. Mr. Stein did not lie. He spoke the absolute truth. FAIR's support for Proposition 200 in Arizona is well-known and a matter of public record . . . Did Arizona state law require that the Protect Arizona Now Committee report FAIR's efforts to gather signatures in support of Proposition 200 as an 'in-kind contribution' to the 'official' committee? Yes. Did FAIR actually give money or any other direct support to the PAN committee itself? No. Case closed," says FAIR's letter.

Even writers critical of FAIR have pointed out the smear tactics used by Ms. Maddow in her presentation. "What these parties fail to grasp is that speciously accusing someone of racism is not an argument, it's not a fair injection into national discourse, and it's all-too-frequently never direct enough to exceed speculatory boundaries," says Aeternum Vale.

FAIR is calling for Ms. Maddow to issue an apology. You can read the full letter at FAIR's site.