Hinson was caught plagiarizing from her opponent at the time, representative Finkenauer, as well as numerous news outlets. Hinson went on to blame her staff and claim that the allegations were a partisan attack.
Gazette: Ashley Hinson Cites Staff After New York Times Uncovers Plagiarism [Gazette, 7/20/20]
Hinson Lifted Passages Of Text For Her Campaign Website From Other Sources. According to the Gazette, “Ashley Hinson, the Republican candidate in eastern Iowa's 1st Congressional District, lifted passages of text for her campaign website from other sources, including the New York Times, the Times reported.” [Gazette, 7/20/20]
Hinson “Lifted Verbatim Sentences On Her Campaign Website And In Published Op-Eds More Than A Dozen Times Since Her Campaign Began.” According to the Gazette, “Hinson ‘lifted verbatim sentences on her campaign website and in published op-eds more than a dozen times since her campaign began last year,’ the Times reported. One example was an essay titled ‘Creating America's new normal: China must be held accountable,’ which contained three passages identical to a March 11 New York Times story, the Times reported.” [Gazette, 7/20/20]
Hinson Lifted Verbiage From The New York Times For An Essay She Wrote On Her Campaign Website About Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies. According to the New York Times, “The Times wrote: ‘Chinese pharmaceutical companies have supplied more than 90 percent of U.S. antibiotics, vitamin C, ibuprofen and hydrocortisone, as well as 70 percent of acetaminophen and 40 to 45 percent of heparin in recent years, according to Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.’ Ms. Hinson wrote: ‘Chinese pharmaceutical companies have supplied more than 90 percent of U.S. antibiotics, vitamin C, ibuprofen and hydrocortisone, as well as 70 percent of acetaminophen and 40 to 45 percent of heparin in recent years.’” [New York Times, 7/20/20]
Hinson Lifted Verbiage From The New York Times For An Essay Regarding Pharmaceuticals. According to the New York Times, “The Times wrote: ‘The administration has been preparing an executive order, which could be released in the coming days, that would close loopholes allowing the government to purchase pharmaceuticals, face masks, ventilators and other medical products from foreign countries. The hope is that increasing government demand for American-made drugs and medical products will provide an incentive for companies to make their products in the United States.’ Ms. Hinson wrote: ‘We must close loopholes allowing the government to purchase pharmaceuticals, face masks, ventilators and other medical products from foreign countries. Increasing government demand for American-made drugs and medical products will provide an incentive for companies to make their products in the United States.’” [New York Times, 7/20/20]
Hinson’s Website Lifted Passages From The Des Moines Register, The Hill And Even Finkenauer’s Campaign. According to the New York Times, “Ms. Hinson’s website also borrowed exact passages from the Des Moines Register and from The Hill, an outlet that covers Washington; in op-eds, she has taken phrases from CNBC; and her platform on veterans issues uses near-identical language to Ms. Finkenauer, her Democratic opponent, among other instances.” [New York Times, 7/20/20]
Hinson Claimed That She Was Unaware Of The Plagiarism, That She Was “Deeply Sorry” For The Mistake And That “The Staff Responsible Will Be Held Responsible.” According to the New York Times, “‘I was unaware of the plagiarism when I reviewed drafts presented to me by staff,’ Ms. Hinson wrote on Twitter. ‘As a journalist I take this extremely seriously and am deeply sorry for the mistake. The staff responsible will be held accountable.’” [New York Times, 7/20/20]
Hinson Claimed That She “Sincerely Apologize And Take Full Responsibility.” According to the Des Moines Register, “‘I spent more than a decade on the air building the trust of viewers,’ Hinson said in a statement released Wednesday. ‘I strive to hold myself to a high level of integrity and the plagiarism that was brought to my attention from the New York Times reporting is unacceptable to me and to Iowans. I immediately took action when the mistakes were brought to my attention. I sincerely apologize and take full responsibility.’” [Des Moines Register, 7/23/20]
Hinson Claimed That The Firm She Was Using And The Employee Was “Terminated.” According to the Des Moines Register, “‘That firm that I had been using and that employee have both been terminated. I'm not doing any more work with them,’ Hinson said in the KWWL interview.” [Des Moines Register, 7/23/20]
Hinson Claimed That The Plagiarism Accusations Were A Partisan Attack On Her. According to the Des Moines Register, “After apologizing for the plagiarism in the KWWL interview and saying she would oversee the vetting process going forward, Hinson also suggested that the allegations were a partisan attack against her. ‘I think people see this for what it is, which was a partisan attack on me and I think I take things in stride and I'm moving forward because that's what people expect a leader to do,’ she said.” [Des Moines Register, 7/23/20]