February 27, 2018

Georgia State Senator Michael Williams joined Brianna Keilar Tuesday to bash Delta Airlines for cutting off the NRA discount and defend his beloved second amendment right to own weapons of mass death.

He was just getting warmed up when he found himself staring down the barrel of Keilar's fact-checking machine when he suggested Delta Airlines discounts flights for Planned Parenthood members, which is a lie born out of the depths and pits of right-wing bloggers' fantasies.

It's a lie that's easily debunked, first by understanding that Planned Parenthood is not a membership organization. It is a charity. There are no "members." Now that we have that out of the way, watch how Keilar pinned him to the wall like a butterfly.

Keilar stopped him, asking, "Where is the discount -- you're saying -- where are you getting that, that Delta gives a discount to Planned Parenthood members?"

Wheels turning, Williams deflected. "They're out there giving discounts to other liberal leaning organizations," he said.

"Where are you getting -- I need to be clear on this you just said that they give discounts to Planned Parenthood members," Keilar pressed. "I've seen allegations of that on right-wing blogs. I've had no verification of that. Where are you getting that?"

This is a story that appears to have originated on Reddit and Twitter, the birthplaces of many a right-wing lie, especially about Planned Parenthood.

But Williams instead claimed that he was in a caucus meeting where the governor was "basically threatening" them all that if they don't pass the revocation of the tax breaks for Delta, they'll chop it out of the budget. "That if we don't do this, again, there will be consequences."

None of that answered her question so he added, "Other senators and I looked it up on Google but I don't know the source."

Again, I repeat that there is no source. It's simply untrue.

Keilar told him firmly, "To be clear we looked it up as well and it doesn't appear after some digging that we've been able to determine that that is actually factual. You're indicating something that may not be true there."

Williams clung to his talking point, but modified it to state his belief that "Delta is out there giving discounts to left wing organizations as well."

He asked, "If they're going to take it away from the NRA, why not the left wing organizations?"

Keilar shot back, "If you're making that argument, shouldn't you have your facts straight?"

"Delta is not giving away discounts to left wing organizations, is that what you're telling me?," he countered.

Firmly, she replied, "No. You told me it was planned parenthood."

They went back and forth with him refusing to stick to his original claim but broaden it to include all "left-leaning organizations" before he caved and agreed to disagree.

Keilar was not having it, telling him, "When you provide us with support of that claim, we'll post that on our website or I'll let our viewers know that that is not true."

It isn't true. I'll look forward to his retraction.

Every day these yahoos come on cable networks to spread lies and schlock like this. Every day. We need more Brianna Keilars out there willing to stop them at that moment and force them to back it up with a factual source or abandon their claim. One or the other.

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