WSJ intern fired for making up quotes denies allegation to beauty pageant

Liane Membis, the Wall Street Journal intern fired last month for making up quotes in stories, has denied the allegation to a representation of the Miss Black America pageant, reports the New York Amsterdam News.

Oulimata Ba writes, “Membis won the title for Miss Black America– Connecticut last year. Anderson said she spoke with Membis after the incident.

“‘In my conversation with her she denies the allegations,’ Anderson said. ‘Her claim is that that’s her actual source on the bridge when she was writing the story.’

“Some of the quotes from Membis’ story on the 103rd Street Bridge were re-posted on an opinion blog for The Washington Post. One of Membis’ quotes came from a 17-year-old from East Harlem named Saniqua Dimson. When the bridge was shut down, Dimson said: ‘It seemed like the city didn’t want black folks in the park, you know?’

“Erik Wemple, who wrote the blog, replied, ‘Do people talk like that?’ Anderson disagrees.

“‘In my opinion people really do talk like that,’ Anderson said. ‘I don’t have any verification that her story is incorrect.’

“Membis is set to compete in the next national Miss Black America Pageant.”

Read more here. Talking Biz News was the first to report that Membis had been fired.