LEFT BIAS FACTUAL REPORTING: MOSTLY FACTUAL
- Trump travels to Kenosha univited amid riots and protests
- A photo-op purporting to be of a business owner is in fact the previous business owner that currently owns the property
- Tom Gram owns a century-old camera shop called Rode’s Camera Shop which he’s run for eight years
- Gram stated “I think everything he does turns into a circus and I just didn’t want to be involved in it”
WTMJ-TV:
Kenosha business owner declines President Trump photo-op, former owner replaces him
“I think everything he does turns into a circus and I just didn’t want to be involved in it,” Gram said.
To Gram’s surprise, he watched on TV as the president showed up with the store’s former owner and President Trump made it seem like the store was still his.
“John Rode III, owner of Rode’s Camera Shop,” President Trump said as he introduced Rode during a round table conversation on Tuesday.
NOT AVAILABLE FACTUAL REPORTING: NOT AVAILABLE
Business Insider:
A Kenosha man says the Trump-supporting ‘owner’ of a destroyed business in a photo op was actually his predecessor who sold the shop 8 years ago
Standing next to him was a man the White House, and president, identified as the owner of the destroyed store, John Rode III.
But another man, Tom Gram, told the local outlet TMJ4 that he’s actually owned the 109-year-old store for eight years — and had declined to join Trump’s photo op.
Gram is accusing Trump of using his shop for political gain and replacing him with the shop’s former owner.
LEFT-CENTER BIAS FACTUAL REPORTING: HIGH
Talking Points Memo:
Kenosha Shop Owner Was Replaced In Trump’s Damage Tour After Declining To Be Featured
The White House had called with a request from President Trump for Gram to be featured in a presidential tour of damage following demonstrations that turned destructive in the aftermath of the shooting of Jacob Blake after Trump arrived in Kenosha on Tuesday. When Gram said no, it appears that a former owner of the shop who lavishly praised the president’s efforts was featured instead.
Gram told WTMJ-TV that he has been the shop owner of the century-old Rode’s Camera Shop for the past eight years after he purchased the shop from the Rode family. A website for the business confirms that when the business reached its 100-year milestone in 2011, in preparation to retire then-owner John Rode III sold the business to his employees. Before purchasing the shop, Gram said he worked at the store for more than four decades. Co-owner Paul Willette joined the business in 2001.
LEFT-CENTER BIAS FACTUAL REPORTING: HIGH
The Hill:
Kenosha business owner accuses Trump of using destroyed store for political gain
He also said he was stunned to see the store’s former owner, John Rode, who sold the family business to Gram eight years ago, participating in the tour with the president.
“John Rode III, owner of Rode’s Camera Shop,” Trump said as he introduced Rode during a roundtable conversation.
Rode also walked with the president during a tour of the wreckage and praised the president’s response to the demonstrations.
“I just appreciate President Trump coming today, everybody here does,” Rode said, holding a picture of the store front. “We’re so thankful we got the federal troops here. Once they got here things did calm down quite a bit.”
LEAST BIASED FACTUAL REPORTING: MOSTLY FACTUAL