CBS Changes Tune on Train Looting, Finally Mentions Soft-on-Crime LA Policies

While NewsBusters can’t exactly take credit for the change in tune, we’ll certain welcome the improved coverage. On Tuesday’s CBS Mornings, the liberal newscast changed its tune from Monday as, in a follow-up to a discussion of the rampant train looting in Los Angeles, the network acknowledged the arguments being cited that the filth was due to the district attorney’s soft-on-crime policies.

On Monday’s show, the co-hosts and “Talk of the Table” purveyor Vladimir Duthiers Expressions of shock at the images along Union Pacific tracks, calling it “disgusting,” “unbelievable,” and a situation in which “LA has got to get on” it. But they refused to assign blame for the people their own side helped elect and specifically Soros-backed prosecutors like George Gascón.

Fast-forward to Tuesday and they had a two-minute-and-17-second report from correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti on said looted tracks with co-host and Democratic donor Gayle King providing a lead-in.

“Remember this unbelievable video of train tracks in Los Angeles littered with open packages? Thieves are stealing and emptying containers filled with consumer goods, everything from electronics to medications, to even COVID test kits,” King explained, noting Union Pacific has tried to do its part “by increasing patrols, flying surveillance drones, and working closely with the local police,” but thus far to little avail.

King opened up the doors to the truth: “[T]The company claims local prosecutors do not help. Jonathan Vigliotti shows us how even the suspects who are caught are not always stopped.”

Vigliotti stated that “something” that feels like it’s “from the Wild West” has been “happening in bustling downtown Los Angeles” with “[t]Hieves…stealing merchandise worth thousands of dollars from trains by breaking into their cargo[.]”

Addition “the debris field stretches on for as far as you can see” With “tens of thousands of destroyed packages with addresses” He cited statistics from Union Pacific officials that covered everything, from Covid testing to electronics, from coast-tocoast. “from October 2020 to 2021, there was an increase of more than 350 percent in thefts.”

Worse yet, it’s hurt their bottom line to the tune of $5 million prior to the holiday season, which they’ve “blamed” on “the no cash bail policy, in part for the frequency of the thefts.”

Wrapping the report, Vigliotti never mentioned Gascón by name, but said his office has maintained “they make their charging decisions based on evidence or lack of they hope to address the issue with the railroad company in the following weeks.”

While CBS deserves being hit for their willful obliviousness to soft-on-crime policies leading to lawlessness, Tuesday marked their third segment on the story compared to one on NBC (which was a news brief on Sunday’s NBC Nightly News) and none for ABC’s flagship newscasts (Good Morning America and World News Tonight).

To see the relevant CBS transcript from January 18, click “expand.”

CBS Mornings
January 18, 2022
Eastern: 7:15

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: California Train Thefts; About 90 Train Containers Looted Daily, Despite Increased Patrols]

GAYLE KING: Today, we are continuing the story we told you yesterday. This incredible video shows train tracks littered in open boxes on Los Angeles’s Los Angeles station platforms. The thieves are taking and emptying boxes containing electronics, medicines, COVID tests kits, as well as consumer goods. The Union Pacific Railroad says it’s trying to protect its cargo by increasing patrols, flying surveillance drones, and working closely with the local police, but the company claims that local prosecutors are not helping. Jonathan Vigliotti demonstrates how suspects can be caught and not stopped.

JONATHAN VIGLIOTTI: It looks like something from the Wild West, only it’s happening in bustling downtown Los Angeles. The thieves are stealing merchandise worth thousands of dollars each time they break into trains. You can see the debris field for miles. We’re talking about easily tens of thousands of destroyed packages with addresses ranging from Washington State all the way to Pennsylvania. We’ve seen a number of COVID tests discarded, but the packages with electronics and home goods were left empty.

UNION PACIFIC POKESWOMAN LUPE VALDEZ – This is a rare feat.

VIGLIOTTI – Union Pacific spokeswoman Lupe Valldez stated that thefts increased by more than 350% between October 2020 and 2021. In a letter to the District Attorney’s office in December, the company blamed the no cash bail policy, in part for the frequency of the thefts. According to the railroad company, it reported losses of $5 million or more at December’s beginning. Union Pacific will factor in the year-end holiday shipping to increase this amount.

VALDEZ

VIGLIOTTI: In a statement, the District Attorney’s office said they make their charging decisions based on evidence or lack of and they hope to address the issue with the railroad company in the following weeks. Los Angeles: Jonathan Vigliotti is CBS Mornings’ correspondent.

KING: You know, guys, you look at that, it looks like a very bad accident as opposed to something — 

TONY DOKOUPIL : Yes. I

KING: — that was deliberately done.

DOKOUPIL : Yes, I do. There were washer dryers along the tracks.

KING: Yes, I did.

BURLESON: Yeah, no doubt about it.