Did Joe Scarborough Murder Intern Lori Klausutis?

By:   Nov 30, 2017 at 10:54 am
Joe Scarborough Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Americares

When news of Matt Lauer’s firing emerged, President Donald Trump pounced to attack NBC’s “fake news” and ask when Joe Scarborough, former congressman turned MSNBC television host, would be fired for the “unsolved mystery” of an intern dying on his watch. Did Joe Scarborough murder someone? Is there a cover-up? Let’s take a closer look.

Joe Scarborough and Lori Klausutis

Joe Scarborough, 54, served as a congressman in Florida. In his final months as a congressman in 2001, intern Lori Klausutis, 28, was found dead behind a desk in his district office.

Trump’s tweet says the death is currently “unsolved” and suggests that Scarborough had something to do with it. But the fact of the matter is, Klausutis’ death has already been investigated.

It’s Not a Murder

The investigation into Lori Klausutis’ death points to a tragic accident as opposed to murder. According to an autopsy report, Klausutis suffered from heart issues and had been feeling unwell. It appears that Klausutis lost consciousness, cracking her head on the desk with enough force that she died as a result.

Conspiracy?

Conspiracy theorists who suspect something more sinister point to the fact that Joe Scarborough resigned from office two months after Lori Klausutis’ death. He had just begun his fourth term in office.

Both police and the medical examiner have stated that there were no signs of foul play. They determined that Klaustis’ death was an unfortunate result of an undiagnosed heart issue and a fatal fall.

As for Scarborough’s resignation, it did come shortly after the Klausutis’s death—she died in July 2001, he resigned in September. But according to Scarborough and his aides, he had already decided to step down in May 2001.

As for what Trump is talking about…maybe he just hasn’t read the facts and got duped by fake news.


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