(Credit: ABC News, screenshot)

ABC News apologized July 20 for linking James Holmes with the Tea Party, Politico reported.  Holmes is the suspect in the killing of 12 and injuring of dozens at the Aurora, Colorado Dark Knight Rises midnight premiere.

The apology reads:

“An earlier ABC News broadcast report suggested that a Jim Holmes of a Colorado Tea Party organization might be the suspect, but that report was incorrect.  ABC News and Brian Ross apologize for the mistake, and for disseminating that information before it was properly vetted.”

ABC News’ Ross had said on air that the Colorado Tea Party Patriots website included the name Jim Holmes, adding “we don’t know if this is the same Jim Holmes, but it’s Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado,” Politico reported.

Related, the mother of the accused killer, Arlene Holmes, claimed ABC News erred in its quoting of her for the same article, The Wrap reported.

ABC News reported that it contacted Arlene Holmes after the shooting and she said “Yes, you have the right person.”  But, Arlene Holmes’ lawyer said she was simply saying she was the person they were trying to reach, and not anything related to her son.  ABC News’ report indicated that she “was unsurprised by the killing spree,” as The Wrap noted.

Also, Holmes’ statement adds that she told ABC News that she “did not know if the person [ABC News] was talking about was my son, and I would need to find out.”

See here the July 20 report that featured the quote from Arlene Holmes.

According to The Wrap, “ABC News is standing by its reporting, citing notes and emails from producer Matthew Mosk,” and ABC News doesn’t have “audio of the first conversation.”  Further, ABC News said that Holmes’ lawyer “held the conference” claiming ABC News’ error “one hour after learning there was no audio recording.”

Hat Tip: Washington Times and Talking Points Memo