Federalist Radio Hour ‘Real Journalism’: How Courage Fueled The Federalist’s Award-Winning Russia Collusion Hoax Reporting
Dec 16, 2025
Sean Davis, co-founder of The Federalist, and Margo Cleveland, its Senior Legal Correspondent, dive into their award-winning investigation of the Russia collusion narrative. They discuss the courage required for real journalism, the origins of their reporting from 2017, and the role media played, particularly CNN's Jake Tapper. They unpack the challenges of obtaining classified materials and examine government and media coordination against Trump. Amidst debates on accountability, they express optimism for independent journalism and the impact of citizen reporters.
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Steele Dossier Was The Turning Point
- The Steele dossier's publication exposed the Russia-collusion narrative as a hoax and redirected reporting priorities.
- Sean Davis says seeing the dossier objectively changed their investigative path and validated skepticism.
Comparing FISA Releases Revealed Omissions
- Margo Cleveland describes piecing together redacted FISA applications and comparing versions to reveal withheld facts.
- She explains that tracking additions across releases showed the FBI didn't update the court despite knowing information was false.
Comey's Role Raised Immediate Suspicions
- Sean Davis recounts James Comey's pattern of opportunistic power plays and early involvement in the operation.
- He connects Comey's career behavior to why the Russia-collusion effort smelled 'dirty' from the start.