This is unbelievable. Journalism has reached a new low in America.
And an insane reporter made a deadly threat towards people exposing fraud in this blue state.
In the latest display of mainstream media arrogance, POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein sparked outrage by implying that daycare operators caught in fraud scandals could just gun down nosy journalists knocking on their doors. This isn’t some fringe tweet—it’s from a so-called “Senior Legal Affairs Reporter” who should know better.
Gerstein took to X on December 29, posting: “At some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand-your-ground laws.” The backlash hit like a freight train, with conservatives and real journalists calling him out for what sounded like a veiled threat against citizen reporters exposing government waste.
Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld fired back hard, mocking the lazy elite press: “The media’s best argument for not doing real reporting — it’s safer working from home on your laptop, hitting ‘send’ after each piece you pasted together from other sources on the Trump (ballroom, hands, insult).”
Even U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement jumped in, pointing out the hypocrisy. ICE’s response highlighted how Gerstein’s logic could apply to federal agents investigating the same fraud: “You would think a ‘Senior Legal Affairs Reporter’ for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents.”
The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway didn’t hold back, dismantling Gerstein’s nonsense point by point: “1) Stand Your Ground does not permit the m*rder of door knockers 2) MN is not a SYG state 3) in no world should Somali fraudsters be encouraged to m*rder taxpaying US citizens for doing the journalism well-funded reporters refuse to do.”
David Marcus, a sharp commentator, cut straight to the chase: “I’m sorry? Wut? Are you advising Somalis to shoot amateur reporters for knocking on their door?” It’s the kind of question that exposes the twisted mindset of these media types.
National Review’s Charles C.W. Cooke added his expertise on gun laws: “Reminder that journalists have absolutely no idea what Stand your Ground laws actually do, in what circumstances they apply, and why they were passed.”
Tony Kennett from The Daily Signal summed up the absurdity: “The senior legal affairs reporter for Politico suggesting ‘stand your ground’ laws means shooting people who knock on the doors of a daycare. My God.” It’s shocking how out of touch these reporters are with basic American rights.
A day later, Gerstein tried to walk it back, claiming: “To observe that something is likely to happen or there’s a serious risk of it happening is not to advocate for it happening.”
Matt Whitlock nailed the real issue: “Have you considered that there wouldn’t be ‘amateur efforts to knock on doors of home daycares’ if there was a professional effort to knock on doors of [fake] home daycares? They used to call it ‘shoe leather journalism.’ Would those people also be likely to be shot?”
Stephen L. Miller mocked the hypocrisy with sarcasm: “Nice shoe leather journalism you’re doing there. Shame if someone stopped you from doing it by m*rdering you.”
Christopher Rufo called out POLITICO directly: “Hey @politico, come get your guy who is advocating the m*rder of American journalists.”
This whole mess stems from citizen journalists uncovering massive fraud in Minnesota’s Somali-run daycares, siphoning off taxpayer dollars meant for kids.
Instead of praising the exposure, Gerstein seems more worried about protecting the fraudsters.
When The Daily Wire reached out to POLITICO for a comment on Gerstein’s wild post and the firestorm it ignited, the outlet went radio silent.
They let the deadline pass without a peep, showing just how little they care about accountability.
In the end, this episode exposes the rot in legacy media: they’d rather side with potential criminals than support hardworking Americans fighting corruption.
Gerstein’s tweet isn’t just ignorant—it’s a symptom of a press that’s lost its way, cheering for the bad guys while demonizing patriots.
