The Trace tries to clarify its story, still claims to be journalists

Trace's top editor denies there was a bait-and-switch.

(Photo illustration from licensed Shutterstock account.)

by Lee Williams

Tali Woodward, Bob Woodward’s daughter and editor-in-chief of Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun propaganda factory, the Trace, says there is a simple reason why her freelance reporter Ted Alcorn told a gun maker he was writing a story for Wired, which was later published by the Trace.

“As frequently happens in journalism, Alcorn reported the story on a freelance assignment from one publication (Wired) and wound up publishing it another (The Trace),” Tali Woodward said in an email Monday. “We were very happy to take over the editing, fact-checking, and publication of the story.”

The Trace story published last week, which was titled “Shoot, Don’t Kill,” examined less-than-lethal weapons from Byrna Technologies, Inc., which use a CO2 cartridge to launch .68 caliber kinetic and tear gas projectiles.

The story quoted Byrna’s founder, president and chief executive officer, Bryan Ganz. However, Ganz told the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project that he had never even heard of the Trace until the story appeared Thursday morning.

“Originally, he (Alcorn) said it was supposed to be published in Wired magazine. But once we gave him the quotes, we had no control over where the article was published,” Ganz told SAF for a story published Monday.

Woodward disputes this, saying, “Ganz was absolutely notified that the story would be published instead by The Trace and in fact provided access for our photographer.”

However, Ganz confirmed Tuesday that he believed his comments would appear in Wired, not the Trace.

“All along it was supposed to be published in Wired. But later, he (Alcorn) couldn’t get it in Wired, and said he was going to look for somewhere else to publish, something called the Trace,” Ganz said. “I didn’t know what the Trace even was until it was published, and then I got a lot of people calling me asking how I could go to one of Bloomberg’s things. When I gave the interview, I did it thinking it would appear in Wired. I don’t know if it was a bait-and-switch. That may have been his intention. I have no idea. Ted (Alcorn) seems to be a reasonable guy, but there are some things in his background.”

According to his bio, Alcorn has worked for Everytown for Gun Safety and the New York City mayor’s office.

Takeaways

It makes much more sense that an anti-gun writer would tell a gun maker — even a less-than-lethal manufacturer — that the story would appear in a tech magazine like Wired, rather than on a website dedicated to total civilian disarmament.

Ganz’s bait-and-switch theory is much more believable, especially when you consider the Trace’s pedigree.

The Trace wants the public to believe it is an actual newsroom. Its staff call themselves journalists, rather than anti-gun activists who are paid by Bloomberg to create propaganda. While they frequently cite their independence from Bloomberg’s other anti-gun organizations, such as Demanding Moms, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Everytown for Gun Safety, the Trace and Everytown actually share the same president, John Feinblatt.

In her email, Woodward also complained that she wasn’t notified prior to publication of SAF’s story. However, there’s not a single phone number listed anywhere on her website.

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