BAI upholds Sean Gallaghers claim that the Frontline Tweet was a fake!

LordSutch

Breaking News: So the BAI has upheld the complaint made against RTE by Sean Gallagher that 'The Tweet' was a fake!

That tweet probably cost Sean Gallagher the Presidency, so how did it happen? and why wasn't the follow up tweet (discounting the 1st tweet) reported on the Frontline? and what about the next day when Pat Kenny really got stuck into Mr Gallagher, apparently still not aware that the original Tweet was a fake!!!!

Link Here > http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0307/bai_gallagher_ruling.pdf

The mind boggles.

Gloomtastic!

When they say the tweet was fake does that mean it was untrue - he didn't collect money for FF?

GSF

LordSutch wrote: »

That tweet probably cost Sean Gallagher the Presidency, so how did it happen?

Gallagher's reaction to it cost him the presidency, not the tweet itself. Big difference!

mike65

GSF wrote: »

Gallagher's reaction to it cost him the presidency, not the tweet itself. Big difference!

edit mis read your post!

PDF judgement

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0307/bai_gallagher_ruling.pdf

GSF

So what sort of damages are owed to him? 7 years salary & free housing plus around the world travel?

Nodin

LordSutch wrote: »

Breaking News: So the BAI has upheld the complaint made against RTE by Sean Gallagher that 'The Tweet' was a fake!

That tweet probably cost Sean Gallagher the Presidency, so how did it happen? and why wasn't the follow up tweet (discounting the 1st tweet) reported on the Frontline? and what about the next day when Pat Kenny really got stuck into Mr Gallagher, apparently still not aware that the original Tweet was a fake!!!!

The mind boggles.

I'd suggest reading the details of the judgement as kindly provided by Mike65. It states they were wrong to broadcast it as it was incorrectly attributed to the official Sinn Fein account, and they made no attempt to verify its origin. The veracity of the content is not disputed.

LordSutch

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

When they say the tweet was fake does that mean it was untrue - he didn't collect money for FF?

The tweet was a fake, but it was read out by Pat Kenny as if it was the real McCoy, Kenny then tackled Gallagher re the fake tweet & Sean Gallagher wobbled, he stuttered & stumbled . . . .all as a result of a fake tweet.

The cheque was cashed before Mr Gallagher was supposed to have collected it.

Kinski

Misleading thread title. The tweet wasn't "fake," it was wrongly-attributed. The BAI have ruled that RTE did not do enough to check the tweet's provenance or the accuracy of its content.

The Waltzing Consumer

It really is a strange tale, I watched the whole thing again on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUhFdi7iRL0


- McGuinness brings up the allegation
- McGuinness brings up that he had spoken to the "source" of the allegation two hours before the show
- Pat Kenny then announces that McGuinness's Twitter account saying they will produce this man who is the source of the allegation, at no point did Martin deny this, he certainly appears that he welcomed this "tweet"

RTE fecked up completely, but who set it up? Martin had plenty of opportunities to say "this is not my twitter account".

Extremely dirty

FreudianSlippers

RTÉ is getting in trouble for being lazy in reality. They need this kind of boot to get back into doing real journalism.

The problem is that on one hand you have people who don't want to fund them through TV licence, so you have RTÉ turning around and putting out the kind of shíte that they think the masses want (including cheap "gotcha" journalism).

COYW

Gallagher's reaction messed it up for him alright but it was dodged busy by SF and FF also, no doubt. Shoddy journalism by RTE as well. A really poor effort by all parties involved, in my opinion. RTE will try and push the "lack of resources" excuse no doubt. Will they dare to suggest an increase in the license fee?

Incidents like this and "ink gate" give us an insight into how two-faced an organisation SF is.

Ellis Dee

Sean Gallagher is still a recycled and rebranded Fianna Failer. And Michael D. Higgins is still our President. Suck it up, Sean, and say: "I'm out!":D:D:D

Happyman42

As has been said, it was Gallagher's own handling of himself that led to his downfall. He knows this and has chosen not to do interviews about it, knowing the old coals will be raked. He is probably scouting around for a soft sympathetic interview with somebody who wants to damage RTE but who is on holidays, wink, wink, nudge, nudge say no more!
He was butchered again by Glenna what's her name the following morning and that had nothing to do with the tweet.
RTE have fallen foul of new technology, perfectly understandable considering that others have too. A slap on the wrist, no biggie.

raymon

Hopefully this is the end to this saga now...Gallagher exposed as a FF money collector ...Gallagher lost .......Higgins won..... Rte apologise..... everyone happy

Kevbar

The bottom line is that we were saved "the shame of Sean".

And nobody but bald headed bagman was responsible for the exchange with Glenna.

On the radio the next day, Sleazy Sean tried to claim that the previously unheard of interior designer wing of the republican movement - baneen bedspreads anyone? - was responsible for his humiliation.

Cos after all there is no such thing as an unaffiliated articulate broad.

How this vile creature was disposed of is irrelevant.

The only thing that matters is that he and the disgraced Ayn Rand philosophy of criminal selfishness did not get a further foothold in the already untolerably
corrupt zone of Irish public life.

A musing on the creep's defeat:

http://www.barringtonkevin.blogspot.com/2011/12/musings-on-narrow-defeat-of-bald-headed.html

take everything

LordSutch wrote: »

Breaking News: So the BAI has upheld the complaint made against RTE by Sean Gallagher that 'The Tweet' was a fake!

That tweet probably cost Sean Gallagher the Presidency, so how did it happen? and why wasn't the follow up tweet (discounting the 1st tweet) reported on the Frontline? and what about the next day when Pat Kenny really got stuck into Mr Gallagher, apparently still not aware that the original Tweet was a fake!!!!

Link Here > http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0307/bai_gallagher_ruling.pdf

The mind boggles.

If it was untrue why didn't he say it was there and then.
End of story.
He didn't and as mentioned it was his inability to forcefully deny it that was important.
Why didn't he forcefully deny it.
Because obviously there was doubt in his head about his involvement in this stuff.
That's what's relevant.

Zico

I watched the election undecided and I was expecting something about Gallagher's past to appear at some stage, he was FF linked so there must have been something someone could dig up. I voted for him even after the tweet incident because the rest were either unelectable or were of the same flock. Turns out he may have been the only honest one there.

raymon

Zico wrote: »

I watched the election undecided and I was expecting something about Gallagher's past to appear at some stage, he was FF linked so there must have been something someone could dig up. I voted for him even after the tweet incident because the rest were either unelectable or were of the same flock. Turns out he may have been the only honest one there.

Oh here we go again.

In my opinion he lied , embellished and exaggerated throughout the campaign.

LordSutch

take everything wrote: »

If it was untrue why didn't he say it was there and then.

Depends on which 'he' you are refering to? He 'Martin McGuinness' knew the tweet didn't come from Sinn Fein headquarters, yet he let it roll and said nothing! He 'Pat Kenny' who ignited the show with the bogus tweet (after the break) was made aware that the 1st tweet was fake bogus at about 11pm, this gave him plenty of time to say 'oh by the way' the whole premise of this discussion since the interval has been based on a bogus tweet, and yet he (Pat Kenny) said nothing! Admittedly 'he' Sean Gallagher himself was like a rabbit in the headlights, not knowing what was going on, (not very media savvy) he handled it terribly, he dithered and stumbled, looked awkward on camera, he questioned himself, he faltered, and possibly lost the Presidency at that very 'envelope' moment, & all because of a bogus tweet (that RTE introduced at a critical stage of the debate).

The next day pat Kenny kept the bogus tweet alive!!! Still cross examining the bogus story with a list of guests on his radio show, still no hands up to say SORRY WE GOT IT WRONG, and still no mention of the 2nd tweet from SF which said that the 1st tweet was totally bogus, and that there was no witness to be brought forward by Sinn Fein > this continuation the next day by Pat Kenny's radio show did more damage, and compounded the lie (bogus tweet) according to the BAI. Sean Gallagher then lost his massive lead in the Polls, and lost the race.

End of story? we'll see, but whatever you think of Sean Gallagher, surely this is not the best way to conduct a Presidential debate.

the groutch

If it kept a FF bagman from getting the highest position in the country, it's a case of the end justifying the means.

Happyman42

LordSutch wrote: »

Depends on which 'he' you are refering to? He 'Martin McGuinness' knew the tweet didn't come from Sinn Fein headquarters, yet he let it roll and said nothing! He 'Pat Kenny' who ignited the show with the bogus tweet (after the break) was made aware that the 1st tweet was fake bogus at about 11pm, this gave him plenty of time to say 'oh by the way' the whole premise of this discussion since the interval has been based on a bogus tweet, and yet he (Pat Kenny) said nothing! Admittedly 'he' Sean Gallagher himself was like a rabbit in the headlights, not knowing what was going on, (not very media savvy) he handled it terribly, he dithered and stumbled, looked awkward on camera, he questioned himself, he faltered, and possibly lost the Presidency at that very 'envelope' moment, & all because of a bogus tweet (that RTE introduced at a critical stage of the debate).

The next day pat Kenny kept the bogus tweet alive!!! Still cross examining the bogus story with a list of guests on his radio show, still no hands up to say SORRY WE GOT IT WRONG, and still no mention of the 2nd tweet from SF which said that the 1st tweet was totally bogus, and that there was no witness to be brought forward by Sinn Fein > this continuation the next day by Pat Kenny's radio show did more damage, and compounded the lie (bogus tweet) according to the BAI. Sean Gallagher then lost his massive lead in the Polls, and lost the race.

End of story? we'll see, but whatever you think of Sean Gallagher, surely this is not the best way to conduct a Presidential debate.

It's as if you believe newspapers never print bogus stories, or that other candidates don't engage in this kind of stuff. Ths kind of stuff has been going on since the dawn of time.
Candidates survive this stuff by the way they handle it, Gallagher failed abysmally because he immediately went on the back foot, he practically admitted that he had done it. The sensible and non brainwashed electorate could plainly see that; so involved in the upper echelons of FF was he, that he couldn't clearly remember if he had or hadn't done it.
'If in doubt cast him out', came into play.
Whoever sent the bogus tweet knew exactly what they where doing and in terms of bringing out the truth it worked beautifully, they are to be congratulated by the the Irish public imo. The same thing was tried with D. Higgins personal life btw and nobody is crying foul. If Gallagher had nothing to hide he would have sailed through as would David Norris (remember David!

Wider Road

I wonder will Pat Kenny apologise at 10 o'clock on the radio for his role in the Presidential debate?

raymon

Wider Road wrote: »

I wonder will Pat Kenny apologise at 10 o'clock on the radio for his role in the Presidential debate?

Why ???

Pat Kenny did a great job in exposing Gallagher as a liar.

He ,Brian Dobson , Bruce Arnold and Fionnan Sheehan should get medals for their excellent work in exposing the lies.

Well done !

LordSutch

Happyman42 wrote: »

Whoever sent the bogus tweet knew exactly what they where doing and in terms of bringing out the truth it worked beautifully, they are to be congratulated by the the Irish public imo.

But did it bring out the truth? subsequent enquiries discovered that the cheque that Mr Gallagher was meant to have collected (as per the tweet), had already been cashed before Mr Gallagher's visit. Of course Gallagher did himsef no favours by saying tht he might have collected an envelope? but he couldn't remember.

Happyman42

LordSutch wrote: »

But did it bring out the truth? subsequent enquiries discovered that the cheque that Mr Gallagher was meant to have collected (as per the tweet), had already been cashed before Mr Gallagher's visit. Of course Gallagher did himsef no favours by saying tht he might have collected an envelope? but he couldn't remember.

Yes it most certainly did bring the truth, i.e. - he was involved in high level fundraising for FF. He had lied about the level of his involvement. While the particular incidence may be cloudy the wider picture and truth emerged.

raymon

LordSutch wrote: »

But did it bring out the truth? subsequent enquiries discovered that the cheque that Mr Gallagher was meant to have collected (as per the tweet), had already been cashed before Mr Gallagher's visit. Of course Gallagher did himsef no favours by saying tht he might have collected an envelope? but he couldn't remember.

Yes it brought out the truth that Gallagher was a liar.

If anyone has any doubt that Gallagher was a liar have a look at this seven minute clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOAHJ6y94DY

bijapos

Wider Road wrote: »

I wonder will Pat Kenny apologise at 10 o'clock on the radio for his role in the Presidential debate?

He didn't mention it in the intro and I switched it off, there is a hearing this afternoon but if he didn't want to discuss the issue because of that he should have said so.

I doubt he will apologise, his arrogance and elitism is above that. He, a professional broadcaster for over 30 years was badly duped by SF and he is loath to admit it. This will be swept under the carpet and next to nothing will be learnt from it.

SeaFields

bijapos wrote: »

He didn't mention it in the intro and I switched it off, there is a hearing this afternoon but if he didn't want to discuss the issue because of that he should have said so.

He didn't mention it in his intro but he did say a small few words after his first item (around 10.15am ; perhaps after a flood of texts /emails ?) that it would be inappropriate to comment on it as his 10 o clock show as well as the Frontline, had been at the center of the judgement. To be expected really.

mike65

Pat Kenny didn't screw up, the Frontline production team did. Kenny couldn't really avoid reading it out - he had to believe the people in the gallery knew what they were doing. I'd say he was less than thrilled when the truth came to light.

Wider Road

mike65 wrote: »

Pat Kenny didn't screw up, the Frontline production team did. Kenny couldn't really avoid reading it out - he had to believe the people in the gallery knew what they were doing. I'd say he was less than thrilled when the truth came to light.

Good point but Pat knew the truth on his radio show the morning after.

Happyman42

bijapos wrote: »

He didn't mention it in the intro and I switched it off, there is a hearing this afternoon but if he didn't want to discuss the issue because of that he should have said so.

I doubt he will apologise, his arrogance and elitism is above that. He, a professional broadcaster for over 30 years was badly duped by SF and he is loath to admit it. This will be swept under the carpet and next to nothing will be learnt from it.

Fionnan Sheehan(who had asked questions himself) made a good point on VB last night; if as a journalist you knew that somebody was lying and avoiding issues to coast across the line, what would your duty be? Gallagher was certainly duped, but the electorate weren't because he was exposed. That's a good days work imo.

Laminations

Happyman42 wrote: »

Fionnan Sheehan(who had asked questions himself) made a good point on VB last night; if as a journalist you knew that somebody was lying and avoiding issues to coast across the line, what would your duty be? Gallagher was certainly duped, but the electorate weren't because he was exposed. That's a good days work imo.

Exactly. I've often hoped someone who could do a good Bertie Ahern impression would ring up Owen OCallaghan snapping at him for leaks of the Mahon Report that suggested OCallaghan had ratted out Bertie. OCallaghans insistence that he protected Ahern and fabricated events in this (taped of course) conversation would dump the real Bertie in it.

Now for a court of law that may be entrapment, but for joirnalists exposing the truth by using tricks I think it's fair game. Not that Bertie could be exposed in such a way- we all know he won that money on the horses

Wider Road

Am I correct in thinking that a lot of the posters here don't agree with yesterday's ruling? If so I find it strange considering RTE's recent behaviour with the Prime Time's investigation of Fr Reynolds.

RichieC

How is a tweet "fake"?

LordSutch

RichieC wrote: »

How is a tweet "fake"?

I changed that to 'Bogus' in post #19.

LordSutch

RichieC wrote: »

How is a tweet "fake"?

Well it was a fake tweet in the context that it wasn't what it proported to be (a tweet from the SF head office), the tweet was not the real thing at all, and they don't know who sent it. It was a bogus tweet, a fraud, a fake tweet that should never have been entered into the debate.

I changed fake to 'Bogus' in post #19.

Nodin

LordSutch wrote: »

Well it was a fake tweet in the context that it wasn't what it proported to be (a tweet from the SF head office), the tweet was not the real thing at all, and they don't know who sent it. It was a bogus tweet, a fraud, a fake tweet that should never have been entered into the debate.

I changed fake to 'Bogus' in post #19.

...none of which really affects the fact that Gallagher had said that he was only a "grassroots" ordinary member of Fianna Fail and not involved in Fundraising, when he had been. And of course, as he'd actually not done anything illegal in relation to fundraising, he cut the switch for his own back by denying it.

raymon

Wider Road wrote: »

Am I correct in thinking that a lot of the posters here don't agree with yesterday's ruling? If so I find it strange considering RTE's recent behaviour with the Prime Time's investigation of Fr Reynolds.

The ruling was fair...... the tweet hadn't been checked.
Rte apologised and will change their procedures


However that doesn't make Gallagher an honest person.
He still lied. He was caught lying.

The problem is that people are mixing up the two.

MadsL

Any truth to this story? Even dirtier in that case...

The man credited with bringing down Sean Gallagher’s Presidential election campaign profited from his relationship with Sinn Fein candidate Martin McGuinness. It has emerged that McGuinness paid convicted fuel smuggler Morgan almost $5000 during the election campaign.

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Gallagher-whistle-blower-was-paid-by-Sinn-Feins-Martin-McGuinness-139349578.html#ixzz1oYFzpyUj

raymon

MadsL wrote: »

Any truth to this story? Even dirtier in that case...

The man credited with bringing down Sean Gallagher’s Presidential election campaign profited from his relationship with Sinn Fein candidate Martin McGuinness. It has emerged that McGuinness paid convicted fuel smuggler Morgan almost $5000 during the election campaign.

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Gallagher-whistle-blower-was-paid-by-Sinn-Feins-Martin-McGuinness-139349578.html#ixzz1oYFzpyUj

I believe a fuel company was paid for fuel...... I think it was diesel for Sinn Fein presidential campaign buses and cars. Not that I want to defend Sinn Fein

In any case Gallagher had told a lot of lies , I don't believe the tweet itself had much impact

His bullying verbal attack on the florist probably lost the largest chunk of votes for him. She rang in to the show and gave him a good drubbing

K-9

raymon wrote: »

In any case Gallagher had told a lot of lies , I don't believe the tweet itself had much impact

What? It was probably the most defining moment in the election, up there with P. Flynn's comments in 1990, Gallaghers reaction lost the election and will be the iconic clip remembered for the campaign.

Seriously, that radio call wouldn't have happened without the tweet. Really, I can't see how anybody can down play it to that extent.

raymon

K-9 wrote: »

What? It was probably the most defining moment in the election, up there with P. Flynn's comments in 1990, Gallaghers reaction lost the election and will be the iconic clip remembered for the campaign.

Seriously, that radio call wouldn't have happened without the tweet. Really, I can't see how anybody can down play it to that extent.

The tweet in itself was not what damaged him.

It was the fact that he had solicited money and mentioned the dreaded envelope word.

The audience was laughing at him.

The source of the tweet was bogus..... but the fact that he was soliciting money for FF had already been raised by Martin.

Edit .... I am not defending Rte or Sinn Fein , my point is that Gallagher looked like a clown because of his own actions. Not because of a tweet. The truth is usually not complicated

MadsL

raymon wrote: »

I believe a fuel company was paid for fuel...... I think it was diesel for Sinn Fein presidential campaign buses and cars. Not that I want to defend Sinn Fein

Buying all your supplies from one supplier/supporter is very different.

Sloppy/biased journalism.

raymon

MadsL wrote: »

Buying all your supplies from one supplier/supporter is very different.

Sloppy/biased journalism.

You mean irishcentral.com was sloppy ? I agree.

RandomName2

K-9 wrote: »

Seriously, that radio call wouldn't have happened without the tweet. Really, I can't see how anybody can down play it to that extent.

Good point - but a separate point in all honesty. It shouldn't be what did or did not lose Gallagher the election, but what was right and wrong. The 'tweet' episode surely was not exclusively responsible for his not being elected; but the point is that it was demonstrably wrong.

goat2

Wider Road wrote: »

Am I correct in thinking that a lot of the posters here don't agree with yesterday's ruling? If so I find it strange considering RTE's recent behaviour with the Prime Time's investigation of Fr Reynolds.

we are only speaking about a tweet, it only lost him seven yrs free housing, car, food, health care, bin charges, water charges, and i suppose that new tax on homes, and of course, round the world trips,

(Fr Reynolds is a more serious topic, his good name was being muddied)

Gloomtastic!

goat2 wrote: »

we are only speaking about a tweet, it only lost him seven yrs free housing, car, food, health care, bin charges, water charges, and i suppose that new tax on homes, and of course, round the world trips,

Don't forget the six figure pension for the rest of his life. Ah well, maybe FF HQ should bail him out.

Wider Road

Pat Kenny knew the truth regarding the so called Sinn Fein tweet on his morning show. That point I'm sure is undisputed by all around here. He may have also known before the end of The Frontline Programme.
What is unknown is why Pat didn't disclose the truth to us when he became aware of it? It's still a mystery and has yet to be answered by RTE and/or Pat Kenny.

raymon

Wider Road wrote: »

Pat Kenny knew the truth regarding the so called Sinn Fein tweet on his morning show. That point I'm sure is undisputed by all around here. He may have also known before the end of The Frontline Programme.
What is unknown is why Pat didn't disclose the truth to us when he became aware of it? It's still a mystery and has yet to be answered by RTE and/or Pat Kenny.

I dispute it
You state that Pat Kenny knew. That's not a fact but is a valid question......

However I still don't know why everyone is focussing on the tweet. The damage had already been done by McGuinness when he proclaimed that Gallagher had accepted the cheque. This was long before the tweet.

The tweet didn't compel Gallagher to mention the envelope

Wider Road

raymon wrote: »

Wider Road wrote: »

Pat Kenny knew the truth regarding the so called Sinn Fein tweet on his morning show. That point I'm sure is undisputed by all around here. He may have also known before the end of The Frontline Programme.
What is unknown is why Pat didn't disclose the truth to us when he became aware of it? It's still a mystery and has yet to be answered by RTE and/or Pat Kenny.

I dispute it
You state that Pat Kenny knew. That's not a fact but is a valid question......

However I still don't know why everyone is focussing on the tweet. The damage had already been done by McGuinness when he proclaimed that Gallagher had accepted the cheque. This was long before the tweet.

The tweet didn't compel Gallagher to mention the envelope

Everyone is focussing on the tweet because it's what this thread is about.

raymon

Wider Road wrote: »

Everyone is focussing on the tweet because it's what this thread is about.

Please read the op again.

The part of the op that I am disputing is the following

"That tweet probably cost Sean Gallagher the Presidency"

I dispute the op.

I believe that Gallagher telling lies cost him the presidency.

( however the tweet was wrong, the ruling was fair and Rte have rightly apologised)