Just to bring anyone unaware up to speed, last month, the news network formerly known as MSNBC officially changed its name to MS NOW. This was the result of parent company Comcast spinning off its cable channels, with the new entity called Versant. More than a static business decision, this was a clear divorce, as NBC News stipulated that the cable channel had to divest all connections to the network.
The newly independent and rebranded network dropped $20 million on a PR campaign to let audiences know what is going on and that they can rely on the same style of coverage that has always been presented.
Well, we can now show that this was not just empty promotional boasting; everything is just as bad as we have come to expect from MSNBC over the years. The Morning Joe program remains as bitter and unpalatable as a cup of vending machine coffee. Nicolle Wallace continues with her fractured creative commentary, as she recently tried to claim no one on the Left has called Trump a Nazi. (Yes, seriously.) And yes, Rachel Maddow is dependable as ever to deliver her fever-dream-level reporting, like when she recently tried to sell the concept that Trump manufactured a war on drug runners, just so he could arbitrarily deport Venezuelans… for some reason.
Also proudly displaying this level of corrupted journalism is the network’s intelligence community correspondent, Ken Dilanian. Long a fixture at both NBC News and MSNBC, during the changeover, many figures were told they needed to choose which entity to remain with, and Ken appropriately elected to go with the cable channel, given its lack of adherence to ethical reporting. He, along with frequent collaborator Carol Leonnig, just delivered a quintessential piece that shows he is in the proper location.
Ken and Caroll gave a hit piece on FBI Director Kash Patel (probably ranking just below President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth as preferred targets of the press), and it displays layers of problems, the likes that you would expect a media analyst like CNN's Brian Stelter to pounce on.
The report, as they delivered, states that Patel has not only used Bureau resources for the personal benefit of himself and his girlfriend, but also that he directed agents to act on his behalf to assist her entourage with social entanglements.
FBI Director Kash Patel has — on more than one occasion — ordered that the security detail protecting his girlfriend escort one of her allegedly inebriated friends home after a night of partying in Nashville, according to three people with knowledge of the incidents.
To start, not only do we get the always familiar anonymous sourcing, it strikes as more than curious that these are not even cited as individuals inside the Bureau. You cannot come up with more tepid authorities than “three people” when claiming to have knowing contacts on a matter. Were these bartenders who supposedly witnessed the exchange? Was it the valet attendants watching her get loaded into FBI SUVs?
But this impotent sourcing is just the start of things. In the lengthy report condemning Patel on a number of issues, there is a lone, expedient mention of an FBI official commenting on the matter: “FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson broadly disputed that such events took place. ‘This is made up and did not happen,’ Williamson said.”
So yes, we get the overreliance on the anonymous voices in the wilderness, all while the officials who go on the record are provided a blithe, perfunctory sentence. This is not all. Williamson came out with far more details after this was published, showing that the bold hit piece from Dilanian and Leonnig appears to be entirely rooted in rumors.
Williamson came out to describe that he had looked into this matter personally, requested input from both Patel and his girlfriend, and several other sources inside the Bureau, and came up with no intel on the matter. Moreover, he says he specifically asked the reporters for more details so he could track down the information, but they were not forthcoming.
1,000% false and did not happen. And I’d like to give some BTS insight into how this hogwash got printed.
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) December 5, 2025
I got this allegation on Tuesday. It sounded made up and I told the reporter so. I went and checked with everyone involved - Alexis (who doesn’t even drink), the Director,… https://t.co/HZfUf9TRwX
I got this allegation on Tuesday. It sounded made up and I told the reporter so. I went and checked with everyone involved - Alexis (who doesn’t even drink), the Director, the Detail, and more - all of whom said it didn’t happen. Couldn’t find any corroboration or record of it whatsoever.
I went back to the reporter and said “everyone involved says this is false - can you give me any other info so I can provide some proof beyond just a denial? A date? Name of the friend? Anything.”Their response was: “We do not have that info but are comfortable with our sourcing.”
That last sentence is especially noteworthy. This is because, in the initial report that was released, Dilanian & Leonnig say that Williamson refused to answer any questions they had. This, despite the parties seemingly having an exchange. Williamson even points out how the original report stated that he had declined to answer any questions, and now that segment has been struck from the report as it is currently offered.
As an aside, this article also incorrectly claimed I did not answer questions about the allegations when asked - when I did. It has since been removed. pic.twitter.com/N7VvyVrJYX
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) December 5, 2025
Spurious reporting, invalid sourcing, denial of official statements, and stealth editing of a piece are all in play here. It all points to the reality that you can change the label of your journalism, but unless you alter the actual execution of the job duties, it is the same old corrupted product we have come to expect from this “news” source.
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member