WorldNetDaily’s Bob Unruh, it seems, is incapable of doing any fact-checking on the articles he writes.
In a May 10 WND article that simply parrots the claims of a right-wing student-rights group Foundation For Individual Rights in Education, asserting that Caleb Warner, a former student at the University fo North Dakota, “was found guilty of sexual assault by a campus court.” In fact, as the Associated Press reported, Warner was found guilty by a school tribunal — not a “campus court” — of violations of the school’s code of student life, not of “sexual assault.” Warner was then kicked out of school.
In other words, Unruh told two lies in a mere 10 words. That must be close to a record.
To explain: Warner was accused by a fellow student of sexual assault. Warner insisted the sexual encounter with the woman was consensual. He was later cleared of criminal charges, and the is an outstanding warrant out for the woman for lying to the police. Warner tried to get the school to re-open the case, represented by FIRE, claiming that the college tribunal should be subject to the formality and due process a defendant receives in a court a law. The school declined.
While there is clearly an issue here, it doesn’t give license to Unruh to embellish things by inventing a “campus court” that could find people “guilty” of criminal acts.
On top of that, it’s clear that Unruh talked only to FIRE; no indication is made that he bothered to contact school officials. He’s rather prone to that sort of thing.
And WND wonders why nobody trusts them.