Tipsheet

NBC News Reporter Suspended After His Paul Pelosi Story Was Retracted

As Townhall reported earlier in November, NBC News aired — then quickly retracted — a report on The Today Show with new details about the break-in at Speaker Pelosi's home and assault of her husband Paul. 

After deleting tweets containing footage of the report and "expiring" the video on NBC News websites, the network added a note saying "[t]he piece should not have aired because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards." The reporter apparently responsible for the information, NBC News National Correspondent Miguel Almaguer, has not been seen on-air since his report from San Francisco.

According to new reporting, Almaguer —who's been with NBC News since 2009 — was suspended by NBC News in the wake of his now-retracted report.

"NBC Today show correspondent Miguel Almaguer has been suspended pending an internal investigation after NBC News had to retract his reporting," The Daily Beast explained on Tuesday morning. 

As Townhall reported on November 4 when California-based Almaguer's piece aired with new details about the break-in and assault — reporting that was subsequently removed from official channels as NBC News attempted to memory-hole the reported information:

"After a 'knock and announce', the front door was opened by Mr. Pelosi. The 82 year old did not immediately declare an emergency or try to leave his home," Almaguer recounted. "But instead, began walking several feet back into the foyer toward the assailant and away from police. It's unclear if the 82 year old was already injured or what his mental state was, say sources," he added.

When The Daily Beast sought comment from NBC News and Almaguer, the network's spokesman said "[w]e don't comment on personnel matters," while Almaguer did not respond to their request.

NBC News did not explain what the issue was with Almaguer's reporting when it took down his story, nor has it since explained what about the report "did not meet NBC News reporting standards." Whether the internal investigation NBC News is apparently conducting leads to any further explanation remains to be seen, as does any decision regarding Almaguer's future at the network.  

NBC News' decision to deep-six the story and bench Almaguer comes to light as more contradictions have been uncovered in law enforcement agencies' statements of fact regarding what went down at the Pelosi home.

According to federal agents with the Department of Justice, two San Francisco Police Department officers "opened the door," but the San Francisco District Attorney's office states that Paul Pelosi "opened the door with his left hand."

The San Francisco DA's version of events is close to what Almaguer reported in the since-retracted story on The Today Show, but the DOJ's narrative doesn't jive with either. 

Yet again, people following the story are left with more questions than answers.