The CBS television station in Atlanta has fired its evening anchor, Ben Swann, three days after the station discovered he had tried to revive a controversial news segment without their knowledge.
The station’s general manager Lyle Banks released a brief press release Monday about Swann’s termination.
“Ben Swann is no longer an employee of WGCL-TV, effective immediately. We thank Ben for his contributions and wish him well,” the statement said.
Swann's Reality Check reports over the years have often veered into alt-right conspiracy theories. His last one focused on PizzaGate a year ago and led to his first suspension and the removal of his Truth in Media website and most of his social media platforms.
Swann recently began raising funds to bring back his Reality Check stories using the cyber currency Dash. He posted a video Thursday night teasing a big announcement on Tuesday, January 30.
When WGCL leaders found out about the video Friday morning, management suspended him, officials said. On Monday, the station fired him.
His Reality Check operation preceded his hiring at the station in 2015. Echoing right-wing conspiracy sites, Swann has questioned everything from the origins of ISIS to the veracity of the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings to whether Russia was actually involved in the DNC email hacks.
His Truth in Media site was connected with the Republican Liberty Caucus at one point. Before joining the station, he worked for Russia Today, an international television network funded by the Russian government.
In 2013, Swann appeared on conpsiracy theorist Alex Jones' InfoWars:
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