CBS and NBC voiced their shock and exasperation at the looting massively of cargo and other packages by Union Pacific trains in Los Angeles. “nuts,” “shocking,” “unbelievable,” and proof America’s “falling apart at the seams”Up to and including “hav[ing] just totally lost control.”
Liberal journalists didn’t say anything to indicate that criminals feel empowered by soft-on crime policies, which are implemented by those who the journalist profession supports. In this case, that would be Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
The outrage was most pronounced on Monday’s CBS Mornings. Tony Dokoupil, co-host of the segment teased it with bewilderment “Coming up, a thieves paradise in California. We will show you the places where train robbers steal your packages and leave behind an enormous mess. I’ll say that again — looting trains.”
As part of the show’s “What to Watch” segment, correspondent Vladimir Duthiers seemed similarly flummoxed, reporting “an investigation is underway into the cause” of why “17 cars went off tracks” “over the weekend…in the same area of downtown LA where thieves have been raiding cargo containers on Union Pacific train tracks.”
“Look at these images. This is in downtown Los Angeles…a seemingly never-ending sea of shredded cardboard boxes and merchandise — unbelievable — littering the tracks,”Duthiers were added.
Duthiers “Union Pacific says it has increased security measures and its agents have made hundreds of arrests, but it needs more help from the Los Angeles District,” absolving Gascón of blame for his no-bail policy. He also omitted the company calling out Gascón specifically
Daily Caller: Our good friends You can find more (click “expand”);
Union Pacific Railroad called out Democratic Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón and asserted that his policies are to blame for rampant train robberies in a letter to the DA shared Friday on Twitter.
The letter, dated Dec. 20 of last year, indicated that “on average, over 90 containers are compromised per day.” The letter also noted a 160% increase in criminal rail theft in Dec. 2020 and a 356% increase from Oct. 2020 to Oct. 2021.
(….)
The letter also cited the district attorney’s no-cash bail policy as a reason for repeat offenses.
“Even with all the arrests made, the no-cash bail policy and extended timeframe for suspects to appear in court is causing re-victimization to [Union Pacific] by these same criminals,” the letter reads in part. “Without any judicial deterrence or consequence, it is no surprise that over the past year [Union Pacific] has witnessed the significant increase in criminal rail theft described above.”
Co-host and Democratic donor Gayle King said it’s “pretty disgusting” and it reminded her of a recent David Brooks column “about America’s falling apart at the seams last week. I look at stuff like that, and I think that’s another example of how we have just totally lost control of many aspects of our lives. It’s nuts.”
Dana Jacobson, the fill-in, and the hosts pointed out that the packages might have contained important items such as medications or COVID-19 test results, but Dokoupil concluded the conversation with an interesting message, which was appropriate given his liberal political views: “LA has got to get on this, it’s not Union Pacific’s problem.”
Tony would say that law and order are necessary.
Sunday’s NBC Nightly NewsAnchor Kate Snow gave a tease about a chyron to the media, as was anchor Kate Snow. “The Great Train Robberies” Before a 21 second brief to express concern “[a] new twist in what was already a shocking regular occurrence.”
Pointing out it’s been happening “for months,” She was worried “[a]uthorities don’t know yet what caused the [derailment].”
And on Saturday’s CBS Weekend NewsIt was framed by Lilia Luciano and Ben Tracy, two correspondents. “an ugly turn” The “long list of problems that are affecting shipping and causing shortages that consumers have been dealing with for a long time.”
The exasperation at a far-left city seeing rampant crime was made possible thanks to the endorsement of advertisers such as Flonase (on CBS Mornings), Geico (on NBC Nightly News), and Nature’s Bounty (on CBS Weekend News). Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant CBS and NBC transcripts from January 15-17, click “expand.”
CBS Weekend News
January 15, 2022
Eastern, 6:31 [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trains Targeted]
BEN TRACY – Train thieves are targeting Los Angeles. This is the latest threat to supply chains.
LILIA LUCIANO: Lilia Luciano lives in Los Angeles, where shipping delays and shortages can lead to higher prices and empty shelves.
(….)
Eastern, 6:38
TRACY: Well, there is no end in sight to the nation’s pandemic’s fueled supply chain issues and now, it is taking an ugly turn along railroad tracks in downtown Los Angeles. CBS’s Lilia Luciano is there and joins us with more. Good evening Lilia.
LUCIANO: Hello, Ben. The latest problem is cargo theft. Los Angeles: A sea of stolen parcels litters train tracks close to Union Station. The supply chain is being clogged by thieves who break into Union Pacific containers and grab expensive goods before tossing them.
MAN: Anything from dryers, tires to perfumes, colognes, and televisions.
LUCIANO: Officials at the railroad claim they have hit 90 containers per day. While they cooperate with law enforcement officials, they may consider diverting certain trains out of Los Angeles County. Making matters worse for consumers already dealing with a seven percent inflation rate, the traffic jams at the nation’s busiest ports, keeping some store shelves empty. The number of product shortages is up 15%
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I was able to get aspirin, and there’s only three bottles on the shelf.
LUCIANO
ROBERT LEACHMAN, UC BERKELEY PROFESSOR: This is the big variable. It’s like asking if there will be a pandemic. However, people will spend less on goods and entertainment if they start to invest more in travel and entertainment.
LUCIANO Experts believe it will take several weeks for stores to be fully replenished, Ben.
TRACY: Lilia. Thank you so much.
————————————————
NBC Nightly News with Kate Snow
January 16, 2022
Eastern at 6:43 [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Great Train Robberies]
KATE SNOW: Another big Los Angeles derailment at exactly the spot that thieves routinely raid trains in order to steal packages.
(….)
Eastern at 6:50
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Train Robberies]
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Brazen Train Robberies in Los Angeles]
The new SNOW is a twist on an already shockingly common occurrence. The Union Pacific train that was heading to Los Angeles derailed on Saturday. This happened right in the exact same spot where for many months thieves had been rapping cargo trains and stealing UPS and Amazon parcels. These items can still be found scattered across tracks. Authorities don’t know yet what caused the accident.
————————————————
CBS Mornings
January 17, 2022
Eastern, 7:20 [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Package Pirates]
TONY DOKOUPIL, Coming Up: California’s thieves haven. You’ll see where the robbers have taken your stuff and left behind a mess. I’ll say that again — looting trains.
(….)
Eastern, 7:51 AM
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Package Pirates]
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS – They are clearing tracks following a Los Angeles train accident over the weekend. The 17 trains that ran off the tracks were not fatally damaged. Investigating the incident is ongoing. The incident occurred in the same location as the theft of cargo containers from Union Pacific trains tracks by thieves. Take a look at these photos.
GAYLE KING: Yes.
DUTHIERS: This is downtown Los Angeles. John Schreiber, a photojournalist at KCBS TV and KCAL in Los Angeles was the first to publish this story. He found a seemingly never ending sea of shredded cardboard boxes and merchandise — unbelievable — littering the tracks.
KING: Yeah.
DUTHIERS. Cargo trains often stop in the region, which makes them susceptible to attack. Union Pacific claims it has improved security and that its agents have made hundreds arrests. However, it still needs to be supported by the Los Angeles District.
DOKOUPIL: I was going to say —
KING says it is very disgusting. David Brooks, a New York Times journalist, wrote a piece about America’s unraveling last week. I look at stuff like that, and I think that’s another example of how we have just totally lost control of many aspects of our lives. It’s nuts.
DANA JACOBSON: And the ideas that — that people also even were just getting on the trains while they were still moving, they were saying, no matter what, to know that they’d be there to do it. To your point, it’s gone.
DUTHIERS: And think about this, those packages, there is somebody’s medications.
THE KING: They went somewhere.
JACOBSON: Yes.
DUTHIERS: There is somebody’s epi-pen.
KING: Absolutely.
DOKOUPIL: Absolutely.
DUTHIERS. The masks the people have been waiting for.
JACOBSON: The tests that people have been waiting for.
DUTHIERS. Tests people have been waiting for.
DOKOUPIL: 100 percent. LA has got to get on this, it’s not Union Pacific’s problem.
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