It is not just the WAPO. I've seen the same appalling ignorance in many publications. I've also talked to journalists and I feel very confident in saying that p

It is not just the WAPO. I've seen the same appalling ignorance in many publications. I've also talked to journalists and I feel very confident in saying that people in journalism generally don't have the skills needed to fact checking in this area. Beyond that, "fact checking" as traditionally done is a very narrow activity that allows all manner of deceptions to be published. Your childlike faith in the utility of traditional news organizations to ensure accuracy by fact-checking is charming, but also ridiculous. And McSweeny's certainly does have editorial standards. Libel is still a crime, which both McSweeny's and the attorney who wrote the article are very much aware of.