Brian Ross Iced After Taking A Flynn!

Brian Ross of ABC News gets shelved for four weeks.

ABC News placed its chief investigative journalist Brian Ross in the freezer after he reported a fake news story about the indictment of disgraced National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

In his report he said that inept leader Donald J. Trump, then candidate ordered Flynn to engage with Russian operatives.

Turns out that's not completely true.

Ross, citing an unnamed source of Flynn, had reported Friday that during the presidential campaign, Trump had ordered the movement. Hours later, Ross was forced to correct the report.

The error was so bad, ABC News placed him in the freezer for four weeks without a thaw or pay.

"We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday," ABC News said in a statement Saturday from Heather Riley, its vice president of communications. "The reporting conveyed by Brian Ross during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process. As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online."

"It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience — these are our core principles. We fell far short of that yesterday."

Trump often complains about "fake news." Seems like ABC News gave him ammunition. While Fox News continues to dominate in ratings, many point to the network as the only source for Trump and his allies.

Trump often promotes this network despite its agitators and programming with a deep conservative bent.

Last time Ross got it wrong was the Aurora terrorist attack in 2012. He claimed the terrorist was radicalized by the overheated rhetoric of the Tea Party.

Flynn plead guilty to lying to the FBI. The former army general has alleged ties to Russian officials. The probe into Russian meddling has gotten Flynn, Paul Manafort and George Papadopoulos in the crosshairs. Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., Roger Stone, Carter Page and Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III are under federal watch.