The FBI has honored the man it believes is responsible for the leak of the scandalous Tucker Carlson video — the former Deadspin reporter who broke football star Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend story a decade ago — The K According Tampa Bay Times,
The Florida newspaper reported Friday that the FBI searched the home of media consultant Tim Burke, who also served as director of video for The Daily Beast in 2018 and 2019, and his wife, Lynn Hartak, who is on the Tampa Bay City Council .
According to The Times, the raid was related to a criminal investigation into a possible “hacking” of uncensored footage of Carlson before he was fired from Fox News. Vice Media and Media Matters for America shared footage showing Carlson engaging in sexist and offensive language, such as calling a female executive a “c-t”.
When the raid happened, Burke confirmed to the Times that his name was on the warrant, but said he did not know why the FBI was searching his home. Hartek said it was “related to her husband’s work.” Now he runs his own firm called Burke Communications.
According to business Insider, the FBI confiscated Burke’s personal and business equipment, including a phone and several computers. Burke said Friday through his attorney that he could not comment on the letter after The Times contacted him and read portions of it.
the daily beast reported Friday that it had received a letter from Tampa’s Assistant US Attorney Jay Trezvant asking Fox News to preserve evidence of possible unauthorized computer access, wire hacks and conspiracy.
The letter did not name Burke, but mentioned an investigation into illegal conduct “by other subjects”. It also notes that Vice News and MMFA have not been accused of any wrongdoing, although earlier this month, Fox issued a cease-and-desist order preventing MMFA from distributing more leaked footage.
According to The Daily Beast, no documents in the case have been made public and prosecutors on Thursday asked a judge to seal even the probable cause affidavit used to obtain the warrant for Burke’s home.
