Former Global News journalist defends reporting on Chinese political interference: ‘The story stands’

Sam Cooper, who recently left Global News to start his own online publication, said he stands by his reporting with his former media organization in recent months — including stories that were questioned or contradicted by the government’s now-resigned special rapporteur on foreign interference. Cooper testified as the committee studies allegations of foreign interference in a rare instance of elected officials questioning a journalist about the accuracy of their reporting. Dong — who resigned from the Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent MP earlier this year — has delivered a libel notice to Cooper, Global News and other staff at the media organization, claiming their reporting was “false, malicious, irresponsible, and defamatory.”Like Cooper, Global News has defended its reporting on foreign interference. During Tuesday’s committee meeting, Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull challenged Cooper for reporting what he described as a serious unproven accusation about Dong. “Did you knowingly mislead Canadians?”“The story stands, and I will not speak to editorial processes and legal procedures,” Cooper responded.