Prosecutors Discover 'Off the Record' Isn't a Mind Control Trick
Lindsey Halligan, a former federal prosecutor, decided the best way to address critical reporting was to message a journalist directly via Signal, complain about coverage, then claim it was all 'off the record.' The Independent's report details this amateur hour attempt at media manipulation. It seems some in power still believe 'off the record' is a magic phrase, rather than a mutual agreement
requiring, you know, agreement. What's next? Demanding journalists un-publish facts because you whispered 'no takesies-backsies'? This isn't about whether coverage was 'fair' to Halligan. It's about a consistent pattern: those in power, especially from the Trump orbit, routinely demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of democratic institutions, from election results to the free press. They
expect deference, not scrutiny, and recoil when their actions are actually reported. One might wonder if this 'ignorance' is tactical, setting a precedent for chilling legitimate reporting by blurring inconvenient lines.