Calls For Sarah Sanders’ Resignation Rise As Independent Expert Verifies She Tweeted Doctored Video
On Thursday, an independent expert verified that the video that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted out alongside her words explaining why Jim Acosta’s press credentials were revoked was doctored.
According to an AP News report, Abba Shapiro, an independent video producer, who trains instructors on using software for video editing, examined the video released by Sanders alongside the AP’s video of the incident. Shapiro concluded that the footage that Donald Trump’s press secretary tweeted out sped up Acosta’s arm movement as it came into contact with the White House intern’s arm. Additionally, Shapiro noted that frames in the video were paused so that it remained the same length as the video the AP took during the incident.
The expert also pointed out that the video in the tweet did not contain audio, making it easier to doctor. Shapiro said that the differences between the two versions of the video were “too precise to be an accident.”
Part of Sanders tweet justifying Acosta’s revoked passes said that the White House does not tolerate “a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job.”
While some believe that the doctored video originated with Infowars, the AP couldn’t verify it’s origin.
The White House News Photographers Association spoke out against Sanders sharing the altered footage and later doubling down on it in another tweet. Whitney Shefte, the association’s president, said, “As visual journalists, we know that manipulating images is manipulating truth. It’s deceptive, dangerous and unethical. Knowingly sharing manipulated images is equally problematic, particularly when the person sharing them is a representative of our country’s highest office with vast influence over public opinion.”
Inquisitr reported that CNN called Sanders’ tweet a lie. “Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied,” CNN said in an official statement. “This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.”
In response to the tweet, many people called for Sanders’ resignation. Many Twitter users tweeted replies to Sanders on the video. One wrote, “The fact that you have not apologized or even bothered to address this tweet means that you either knew it was doctored or you now know and don’t care. RESIGN.”
Another replied, “We the people will accept your resignation today. Please tender it immediately.”
People from the U.S. and across the globe repeated the call for Sanders’ resignation from her post as White House Press Secretary in the wake her sharing the doctored video. Even Jimmy Kimmel said that Sanders should resign after her tweets.
