Did he do it? Let me ask you to be the journalist here.

Did former President Donald Trump agree to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election to keep her quiet about a sexual affair between the two?

Based on signed receipts and testimony from Daniels, a tabloid editor and Trump’s former employee, a jury of 12 Americans said yes. They found him guilty on 34 counts of misrepresenting this expense on his company's books in furtherance of another crime.

This is where 21st century journalism fails.

Sensational rumors and conspiracies about the case generate clicks on social media and big ratings on radio and television. So journalists become distracted from the truth of this felony conviction.

What do people writing and broadcasting today’s first draft of history do when Trump’s supporters make denial of the truth into a loyalty test and turn away from the truth of a jury verdict?

Journalists’ pens and cameras can’t turn away from the circus as congressional Republicans appear outside the court — operating in fear of Trump’s power over their party — to join him in undermining the truth of his guilt.

Television showed prominent Republicans standing outside of Trump’s trial and basically repeating Trump’s lie that a “fascist” government has him on trial.

There is no mention from reporters that, with no proposals to improve the economy, stop gun violence or even reform........

© The Hill