SPIN·DETECTOR

How the coverage framed it

The 3.0-point spread here reflects a meaningful difference in how outlets chose to characterize the same underlying event. The New York Post anchored its headline in straightforward reportorial language — "newly revealed memos show" — presenting the FBI probe as a factual disclosure without editorializing on its legitimacy. The Federalist, at the right end of the range, loaded its headline with two distinct delegitimizing phrases: "Russia Hoax Investigation" reframes the probe as inherently fraudulent rather than a legitimate law-enforcement action, while "Debunked Information" asserts as settled fact a characterization that remains contested. Where the Post described what the memos reveal, The Federalist described what the FBI allegedly did wrong. The core factual claim — that the FBI opened a probe following Comey's firing — appears in both headlines, but The Federalist's language actively cues readers to dismiss the investigation's validity before engaging with its substance.