(Credit: Flickr/Josh Hallett)

CNN retracted and unpublished a story claiming Pres. Donald Trump adviser and transition team member Anthony Scaramucci was being investigated over ties to the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

The June 22 article was headlined, “Congress investigating Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials.” The article alleged that “Senate investigators are examining the activities of a little-known $10-billion Russian investment fund whose chief executive met with a member of President Donald Trump’s transition team four days before Trump’s inauguration, a congressional source told CNN.”

The article reported that when Scaramucci was asked about the meeting, he said “there is nothing there” and that the alleged meeting was really just a “cordial” interaction where they said hello. While the article has been unpublished, iMediaEthics found a copy of it on the Internet Archive’s WayBack Machine.

After the article was published, Scaramucci tweeted “I did nothing wrong” and that CNN likes “hitting friends of @potus who are loyal advocates on his behalf.”

It's ok. I did nothing wrong. They like hitting friends of @potus who are loyal advocates on his behalf. https://t.co/58LdPff6bV

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) June 22, 2017

In a June 23 editor’s note, CNN retracted the story and apologized. The editor’s note stated:

“On June 22, 2017, CNN.com published a story connecting Anthony Scaramucci with investigations into the Russian Direct Investment Fund. That story did not meet CNN’s editorial standards and has been retracted. Links to the story have been disabled. CNN apologizes to Mr. Scaramucci.”

iMediaEthics has written to CNN to ask what went wrong, if the allegations were broadcast or only online, and if Scaramucci threatened legal action.

Scaramucci tweeted the editor’s note and said “apology accepted. Everyone makes mistakes. Moving on.” iMediaEthics tweeted Scaramucci to ask about the retraction.

.@CNN did the right thing. Classy move. Apology accepted. Everyone makes mistakes. Moving on. https://t.co/lyVajCKNHx

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) June 24, 2017