Right-wing loons can't quit Scott Wiener
The column argues that attacks on Wiener may harm him personally while helping his political profile in San Francisco.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYMission Local is an established local newsroom, and the page identifies its author. This is a clearly opinionated column, so its institutional credibility does not make its arguments equivalent to independently corroborated reporting.
- Source type — A local news outlet with an established civic focus.
- Author attribution — The column names its author.
- Editorial standards — The article is presented as a column, making its opinion format apparent.
The column includes attributed quotations and specific claims about threats, polling and Hurabiell’s activity, but relies mainly on one viewpoint and supplies little counterargument or independent corroboration.
HOW WE SCORE ↗This is a one-sided opinion column that advances a clear argument about right-wing attacks and their political effects. It offers no substantive response from the people it criticizes.
- Opinion vs reporting — The piece is written as an argument, with overt judgments about the people and conduct it describes.
- Counterarguments presented — No opposing perspective from Loomer or Hurabiell is presented.
- Loaded language — Repeatedly uses mocking and condemnatory descriptions.
The column uses derisive language for right-wing figures and presents Wiener sympathetically, while criticizing Hurabiell’s positions. Its framing strongly favors a left-of-center perspective.
- Language tone — Uses phrases such as “right-wing loons” and “reactionary zealot.”
- Framing — Portrays attacks on Wiener as politically counterproductive and potentially beneficial to him.
- Source selection — Includes Wiener’s characterization of his critics without a response from those critics.
A column argues that attacks on Scott Wiener by right-wing media figures may boost his profile in San Francisco even as they expose him and his staff to threats. It also criticizes congressional candidate Marie Hurabiell’s focus on transgender bathroom issues and her opposition to a Wiener bill.
Joe Eskenazi argues that right-wing commentators’ attacks have made Wiener a target but may also help him politically in San Francisco. The column reports that Laura Loomer recently criticized Wiener on her podcast and posted a related chyron, and that Wiener’s office says police are notified of online threats against him regularly. Wiener calls the commentators “scam artists” seeking clicks and engagement.
The column also describes Marie Hurabiell, a congressional candidate, as opposing transgender bathroom access and traveling to Sacramento the previous week to speak against a Wiener bill concerning lawsuits against conversion-therapy practitioners. It says Hurabiell was polling at about 4 percent and running neck and neck for fourth place in the primary.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSED
No good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Wiener in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Wiener’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →California state senator and congressional candidate targeted by right-wing commentators
Commentator who criticized Wiener on her podcast and social media
Representative whose congressional seat Hurabiell sought
Congressional candidate who opposed a Wiener bill
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