NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg made headlines when she incorrectly reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was retiring. Totenberg’s report was swiftly corrected with an editor’s note, labeling the story as “erroneously published.” This incident added to the list of controversies in her career.
Past Controversies
At 82, Totenberg has been a journalist for over fifty years, no stranger to professional missteps. In 1972, she was dismissed from the National Observer for plagiarism, according to Columbia Journalism Review. She had lifted several paragraphs from a Washington Post report without attribution. Reflecting on this, she admitted her mistake, stating her strong belief in reprimanding young reporters to prevent repeated errors.
Reporting Debates
In 1987, Totenberg faced criticism when reporting on Supreme Court nominee Douglas Ginsburg. Her story was strikingly similar to one shared by Legal Times reporter Aaron Freiwald, without crediting him. Freiwald shared his discontent publicly.
During the Anita Hill hearings in 1992, Totenberg faced backlash for revealing portions of Hill’s confidential affidavit on NPR, almost derailing Clarence Thomas’s Supreme Court nomination. This action prompted heated criticism from Republicans, questioning her journalistic integrity.
Controversial Remarks
In 1995, Totenberg received criticism for a comment about Senator Jesse Helms, suggesting retributive justice for his proposals to reduce AIDS research funding. She later admitted the remark was a mistake and expressed lifelong regret.
Friendship with Justice Ginsburg
After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death in 2020, Totenberg revealed their close friendship in an obituary. This disclosure raised concerns about potential biases in her reporting. Media analyst Paul Farhi reported that this relationship could be seen as a conflict of interest, suggesting readers might question her objectivity. NPR rarely mentioned this friendship in Totenberg’s numerous court-related pieces.
Journalist Tom Jones criticized the relationship, suggesting Totenberg should have stepped back from covering Ginsburg or the Supreme Court.
Mask Reporting Dispute
In 2022, Totenberg reported on a mask dispute involving Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Sonia Sotomayor. According to her, Gorsuch refused to wear a mask despite a request due to Sotomayor’s health concerns. This report was quickly challenged, with NPR standing by Totenberg’s story despite denials from both justices.
Totenberg remains a figure of interest due to her reported inaccuracies and controversial history, drawing ongoing media scrutiny.