Kyle Rittenhouse’s Spider Bite and Media Coverage

Recently, Kyle Rittenhouse was hospitalized after being bitten by a spider. In a statement, he remarked humorously, “The communists couldn’t take me out and I’ll be damned if I let a brown recluse take me out.” He likened the spider’s attack to those who oppose him, declaring the spider “did not survive.” While this might be seen as a quirky post, NBC News deemed it significant enough to cover.

However, NBC’s portrayal has drawn criticism for being misleading. They referred to Rittenhouse as someone who “opened fire” during a civil rights rally in Wisconsin in 2020. In reality, he was acquitted of all charges after a court found he acted in self-defense during the deadly encounters.

Describing the event as a civil rights rally is also, perhaps, a bit of a stretch. It was largely recognized as a riot, with reporters from various outlets, including the Daily Caller, present to witness the events unfold.

Richie McGinnis, a former Daily Caller video director who reported on the scene and later testified at Rittenhouse’s trial, stated that calling it “opening fire” misrepresents what happened. Many who have followed Rittenhouse’s case see him more as an advocate for the Second Amendment and self-defense, rather than just a “firearms enthusiast,” as some media outlets have suggested.