Van Huss

State Rep. James Van Huss speaks Tuesday at the Constitutional Protections & Sentencing Subcommittee in Nashville.

 Tennessee General Assembly

One Tennessee lawmaker, Republican State Rep. Micah Van Huss of Jonesborough, is seeking to dub both CNN and The Washington Post as “fake news” through an official piece of legislation.

The phrase “fake news” exploded into the mainstream during the 2016 election, with news publications such as CNN and Fox News being dubbed as such from critics all across the political spectrum.The term is often deployed by Republicans toward media organizations when a person does not like what's been reported.

The resolution, known as House Joint Resolution 779, includes in its writing a bevy of examples of editorial comments from CNN and The Washington Post deemed by the representative as “fake news.”

View below for a few sample excerpts from the resolution:

  • WHEREAS, on October 3, 2019, an editor for The Washington Post wrote that President Donald J. Trump has cast a spell on the Republican Party and suggested that Trumpism is cultlike

  • WHEREAS, on November 24, 2019, a CNN host suggested that Trump supporters belong to a cult and that our president is using mind control

  • WHEREAS, we recognize that fake news outlets suggest ideas without directly making accusations so that they can claim innocence from their ivory towers

  • WHEREAS, it is fascinating to see this latest "cult-of-Trump" meme coming from the left, because they are the true masters of deploying mobs to demand total conformity and compliance with their agenda

The resolution goes on to call the suggestion of Trumpism being cult-like “problematic,” arguing that that stance “isn’t a reasoned argument,” and that it “draws a line between Trump opponents and Trump supporters.” The resolution also reads that Van Huss - along with any possible supporters of the resolution - “condemn them for denigrating our citizens and implying that they are weak-minded followers instead of people exercising their rights that our veterans paid for with their blood.”

If passed, the resolution would see the Tennessee General Assembly officially recognize CNN and The Washington Post as “fake news and part of the media wing of the Democratic Party.”

The resolution is scheduled to be discussed by members of the Protections & Sentencing Subcommittee on Tuesday, Feb. 18.