Glass
15th October 2015, 10:06 PM
Seems like, when it comes to the news, you don't have to do any background checks.
Wayne Simmons, recurring Fox News guest, charged with lying about CIA ties
Wayne Simmons, a recurring guest on Fox News who claimed to have 27 years of experience with the CIA, was arrested Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about his service. Simmons is accused of falsely claiming that he worked as an "outside paramilitary special operations officer" for the CIA from 1973 to 2000. On Fox, this was often shortened to "former CIA operative."
He was also indicted for using that false claim to gain government security clearances and an assignment as a defense contractor, where he advised senior military personnel overseas.
Simmons made his initial appearance in court on Thursday afternoon. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison on charges of major fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements to the government.
Simmons is a familiar face to Fox News viewers. After the arrest was announced on Thursday, Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti told CNN that he "was never a contributor for Fox News," and that he appeared on the network only as a non-paid guest. She therefore declined to comment further.
Simmons' web site (http://www.waynesimmons.us/)describes him as a "terrorism analyst" for Fox and a consultant to various government entities.
While it is unknown how often Simmons has appeared on television over the years, Fox's web site lists dozens of appearances and quotes, usually labeling him a former CIA "operative," "analyst" or "officer."
The indictment is a red flag for every television network that relies on the input of analysts based on their supposed credentials. The news industry comes to trust individuals as "specialists" in part because of their own self-promotion and past media appearances.
In his appearances on Fox, Simmons regularly made extreme and factually dubious statements pertaining to terrorism and national security. Just this January, he claimed there were "at least 19 paramilitary Muslim training facilities in the United States."
Link to CNN (http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/15/media/wayne-simmons-tv-commentator-arrested/) - because nothing fake about them guys.
So was this the guy who said all those terrorist camps were in Mexico or something?
Wayne Simmons, recurring Fox News guest, charged with lying about CIA ties
Wayne Simmons, a recurring guest on Fox News who claimed to have 27 years of experience with the CIA, was arrested Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about his service. Simmons is accused of falsely claiming that he worked as an "outside paramilitary special operations officer" for the CIA from 1973 to 2000. On Fox, this was often shortened to "former CIA operative."
He was also indicted for using that false claim to gain government security clearances and an assignment as a defense contractor, where he advised senior military personnel overseas.
Simmons made his initial appearance in court on Thursday afternoon. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison on charges of major fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements to the government.
Simmons is a familiar face to Fox News viewers. After the arrest was announced on Thursday, Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti told CNN that he "was never a contributor for Fox News," and that he appeared on the network only as a non-paid guest. She therefore declined to comment further.
Simmons' web site (http://www.waynesimmons.us/)describes him as a "terrorism analyst" for Fox and a consultant to various government entities.
While it is unknown how often Simmons has appeared on television over the years, Fox's web site lists dozens of appearances and quotes, usually labeling him a former CIA "operative," "analyst" or "officer."
The indictment is a red flag for every television network that relies on the input of analysts based on their supposed credentials. The news industry comes to trust individuals as "specialists" in part because of their own self-promotion and past media appearances.
In his appearances on Fox, Simmons regularly made extreme and factually dubious statements pertaining to terrorism and national security. Just this January, he claimed there were "at least 19 paramilitary Muslim training facilities in the United States."
Link to CNN (http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/15/media/wayne-simmons-tv-commentator-arrested/) - because nothing fake about them guys.
So was this the guy who said all those terrorist camps were in Mexico or something?