Poor Attempt at Humor': Montana Paper Disciplines Copy Editor for Adding 'Allegedly' to 'Obama Was Born in Hawaii

A Montana newspaper disciplined a copy editor for adding the word "allegedly" to a line in an Associated Press story to read, "Obama was allegedly born in Hawaii."

"Our copy desk made an error in judgment in editing the Sunday 2A Associated Press story about President Obama’s trip to Asia and his place of birth," an editor's note in the Montana Independent Record said Tuesday. "One of the copy editors inserted the term 'allegedly' born in Hawaii in the story thinking the other copy editor would catch it, he didn’t."

The Helena-based newspaper said it was "a poor attempt at humor and a poor decision, but was not intended to be printed in the paper" and that those responsible have been disciplined.

Retired AP staffer Tom Laceky pointed out the use of "allegedly" in a letter to the editor on Tuesday.

"'Allegedly born in Hawaii?' As if there is any doubt? That right-wing notion has been so thoroughly discredited that only Donald Trump and assorted other loonies still cling to it. Neither the AP nor -- I hope -- The Independent Record belongs in their company," Laceky wrote.

Another reader wrote in to call the addition "inexcusable for a purported news organization."

(H/T: Politico)