Sharyl Attkisson

One-line summary: Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist and former CBS News correspondent who describes a "permanent deep state regime that operates independently" of elected leaders, drawing on her personal experience of government computer hacking and institutional retaliation against journalists.

Field	Details
Full Name	Sharyl Attkisson
Role	Investigative Journalist, Author, Host of Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson
Platform	Full Measure (Sinclair Broadcasting), SharylAttkisson.com, books
Notable Works	Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington (2014), The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote (2017), Slanted (2020)

Background & Biography

Sharyl Attkisson is an Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist who spent over 20 years at CBS News before departing in 2014 over what she described as the network's resistance to her investigative reporting on stories that challenged the Obama administration. She has won five Emmy Awards and received the Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. Her investigations into the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal, the Benghazi attack, and the rollout of the Affordable Care Act led to her discovery that her personal and CBS News computers had been remotely accessed and monitored by government agents. Forensic analysis confirmed the intrusions, and her subsequent lawsuit against the Department of Justice brought national attention to the issue of government surveillance of journalists. She currently hosts Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson on Sinclair Broadcasting, where she continues investigative reporting on government accountability.

Their Deep State Definition

Sharyl Attkisson defines the deep state as "a permanent deep state regime that operates independently" of elected officials -- a network of entrenched government employees, intelligence operatives, and political operatives who use surveillance, smear campaigns, and institutional power to control narratives and punish those who challenge them.

Attkisson's perspective is uniquely personal. While investigating the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal and the Benghazi attack for CBS News, she discovered that her personal and work computers had been infiltrated and remotely monitored by government agents. Forensic analysis confirmed the intrusions, and a lawsuit traced them to the Department of Justice. This experience transformed her understanding of the deep state from an abstract concept to a personal reality.

Her framework identifies two main deep state mechanisms: surveillance/intimidation of journalists and the "smear" -- a coordinated system of reputation destruction used to discredit anyone who threatens institutional narratives. She documents how political operatives from both parties, working with media allies, manufacture and amplify negative stories about targets, creating a chilling effect that discourages investigative journalism.

Attkisson argues that the deep state's most powerful tool is narrative control. By surveilling journalists, smearing whistleblowers, and maintaining relationships with compliant editors and producers, the permanent government ensures that only approved narratives reach the public.

Key Quotes

"A permanent deep state regime that operates independently of the elected officials who are supposed to be in charge." -- Stonewalled (2014)

"They were in my computers. The government was in my computers, watching what I was writing, what sources I was talking to." -- Interview, 2014

"The smear is the go-to weapon of the deep state. If they can't suppress the story, they destroy the reporter." -- The Smear (2017)

"There is a well-organized effort inside the government to control what the public sees, hears, and thinks. It's not a theory -- I've experienced it." -- Full Measure, 2019

Key Arguments & Evidence They Cite

Forensic evidence confirmed government intrusion into her personal and CBS News computers while she investigated Fast and Furious and Benghazi
The Department of Justice was identified as the source of the computer intrusions through forensic analysis
CBS News management increasingly obstructed her investigative reporting on stories that challenged the Obama administration
"Astroturfing" -- the use of fake grassroots campaigns to shape online narratives -- is a key deep state tool documented in her research
Political operatives from both parties maintain networks of journalists, editors, and producers who can be activated to push or suppress stories
Wikipedia editing has been weaponized to control public narratives about deep state critics, with her own page repeatedly edited to discredit her
Government agencies coordinate with NGOs and think tanks to create the appearance of independent validation for preferred narratives

Where They've Said It

Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington (Harper, 2014)
The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote (Harper, 2017)
Slanted: How the News Media Taught Us to Love Censorship and Hate Journalism (Harper, 2020)
Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson (Sinclair Broadcasting), weekly investigative show
SharylAttkisson.com, ongoing commentary
TEDx talks on astroturfing and media manipulation

Matt_Taibbi -- Documented the censorship-industrial complex that Attkisson experienced as a target
Sara_Carter -- Fellow investigative journalist who faced institutional pushback for similar reporting
John_Solomon -- Complementary investigative focus on government corruption and media suppression
Tucker_Carlson -- Fellow media figure who platforms deep state critique and challenges narrative control

Impact & Influence

Contributed to public awareness and debate about unaccountable government power
Their work has been cited by other researchers, journalists, and public figures in this project
Represents a significant voice in the broader movement to increase government transparency and accountability
Has influenced policy discussions around intelligence community oversight and reform

Criticism & Counterarguments

Critics argue their claims oversimplify complex institutional dynamics
Mainstream commentators have dismissed some of their analysis as conspiratorial thinking
Supporters counter that documented evidence validates their core thesis
The debate continues to evolve as new documents and evidence emerge

Sources

Attkisson, Sharyl. Stonewalled. Harper, 2014.
Attkisson, Sharyl. The Smear. Harper, 2017.
Attkisson, Sharyl. Slanted. Harper, 2020.
Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson, Sinclair Broadcasting, 2015-present.
Attkisson v. Holder/Lynch, US District Court lawsuit regarding computer intrusions.

This information was compiled by Claude AI research.

Background & Biography​

Their Deep State Definition​

Key Quotes​

Key Arguments & Evidence They Cite​

Where They've Said It​

Related Perspectives​

Impact & Influence​

Criticism & Counterarguments​

Other Coverage Worth Reading​

Sources​