CNN’s Brian Stelter Takes Heat for Doubling Down on Defense of ‘Hoaxster’ Jussie Smollett

Correspondent Brian Stelter attends an event at the American Museum of Natural History in New York CIty on Dec. 17, 2017. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for CNN

CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter is taking fire on social media—including flak from his own station colleagues—for appearing to defend disgraced hoax hate crime accuser Jussie Smollett.

In light of recent developments that saw felony charges dropped for Smollett in spite of seemingly overwhelming evidence he staged the so-called attack, Stelter suggested the narrative had again shifted in the “Empire” actor’s favor.