McClatchy Newspapers
Special correspondent and investigative reporter for McClatchy Newspapers.
PROFILE
Peter Stone
Guest
FROM Peter Stone
To the Point
Fake news microtargeting now part of Russia investigation "Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring out of a pizza shop." "Democrats want to impose Sharia law in Florida" These are just some of the headlines you may have seen online last fall. Among other, more constructive things, social media was used during the 2016 campaign to disseminate targeted fake news stories that may have swayed the election in favor of Donald Trump. Russia operatives seemed to have played an active role in the process. Among the many questions is whether the Trump campaign's digital operation, run by son-in-law Jared Kushner, guided the hand of Russia's internet masters of propaganda.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Did Jared Kushner help Russians plant fake news in voters' feeds? Investigators in the House, Senate, and Justice department are now looking into the Trump campaign’s digital operation -- headed by Jared Kushner. They want to know whether that team helped Russia target voters in key swing states with critical information and fake news about Hillary Clinton.
Recommended
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.