Fox News Anchor Apologizes for False Claim About Obama Funding Muslim Museum
A Fox News anchor has apologized after inaccurately reporting that President Barack Obama was continuing to fund a Muslim museum "out of his own pocket" in the midst of the continuing federal government shutdown.
The mistake was made by anchor Anna Kooiman on last Saturday's episode of "Fox & Friends," when she was discussing the effects of the federal shutdown that include shutting down national monuments. Kooiman was saying that she didn't think it was fair World War II veterans were being turned away from seeing national monuments in Washington, D.C. due to the shutdown.
Kooiman then told her co-hosts Tucker Carlson and Clayton Morris that "President Obama has offered to pay out of his own pocket for the museum of Muslim culture," comparing that false claim to the Republican National Committee's real decision to keep the World War II memorial open using its own funds.
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However, Kooiman later issued an apology for her false statement, tweeting on Sunday: "Just met w [sic] producers – I made a mistake yday [sic] after receiving flawed research abt [sic] a museum possibly closing. My apologies. Won't happen again."
When making the false statement on Saturday's show, Kooiman was reportedly referencing a satirical news article by the National Report that carried the headline: "Obama Uses Own Money to Open Muslim Museum Amid Government Shutdown."
The story, although a spoof, did not clearly indicate it was a joke. The article said Obama had held a press conference announcing his plans to continue funding the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, Miss. in spite of the government shut down. There actually exists a Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, Miss., but it does not receive federal operating funds, according to the Associated Press.
Fox spokeswoman Dana Klinghoffer told AP that the mistake will be corrected on-air during the October 12 broadcast of "Fox & Friends."
The federal government shutdown entered its second week on Monday after Republican and Democratic members of Congress were unable to agree on the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," and therefore unable to agree on how to continue funding the federal government.
