Topic: Media Research Center
The Media Research Center was huge promoter of Phelim McAleer's anti-abortion "Gosnell" film -- and why wouldn't they be, given that it appears that McAleer appears to have paid the MRC to help him raise money to make it. So, it's no surprise that an April 11 MRC post by Gabriel Hays is little more than a rewritten press release from McAleer himself:
In an act of solidarity with the pro-life community, the White House has announced that it will be screening anti-abortion film Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killeron Friday, April 12.
The film’s co-producer Phelim McAleer provided a press release announcing the exciting news and thanking the movie’s supporters for pushing it to such a high-profile premier. He wrote, “We have some wonderful news to share. We have been invited to screen the Gosnell Movie at the White House this Friday.” McAleer added, “It’s sending a very powerful message. We couldn't be more grateful to our nearly 30,000 Indiegogo supporters who made this movie a reality.”
McAleer also noted that this was the “first political movie to be screened in the Trump White House- our supporters have helped make history.” Well that’s pretty powerful stuff and a good reminder, amidst all the constant, negative Trump press, that his administration is still committed to the pro-life cause.
Hays's sycophantic gushing never stopped:
The film committed itself fully to the truth of the Gosnell story. LifeSiteNews reported that it was “based “very heavily on actual court transcripts,” “dozens of hours of interviews” with Gosnell himself, and the case’s grand jury report.
One of the most effective themes in the film, was the fact that the mainstream media wants nothing to do with controversial abortion cases. Here was a doctor that was on trial for the murder of a couple young women via botched abortion procedures and almost no reporter was present at the scene. It was one of the most confounding and powerful shots in the film — that completely empty courthouse on the day of the first hearing.
At least the Trump administration recognizes the importance of such a powerful film. In his press release, McAleer urged pro-life Americans to thank the president for his support. “But what we really want you to do is to go on Twitter and THANK @realdonaldtrump for recognizing the importance of this movie for the country right now.”
Actually, it's questionable how fully committed to the truth McAleer really was. The judge who presided over Gosnell's trial sued McAleer over what he believed was a defamatory portrayal of him in the film and an accompanying book, pointing out that McAleer was "shamelessly exploiting for profit the morally divisive issue of abortion" and operating with a "predetermined agenda." That suit was settled out of court, but McAleer never explained how.
If McAleer really was committed to the truth of this story, he would be more transparent -- and Hays should have demanded that transparency instead of being an emarrassing suck-up.
