US conservative media called out for hypocrisy over treatment of Native American man from viral video

A week ago, only Nathan Phillips friends and family would have known him but after his confrontation with a Covington Catholic High School student wearing a MAGA hat, he has become an international news story.

His act of defiance against the controversial youngsters, whose ridicule towards him has divided opinion across the States, is likely to be one of the biggest viral videos of 2019 and has turned Phillips into a minor celebrity.

Yet, as we all know, anyone who attains any sort of status is almost certain to face a backlash and unfortunately for 64-year-old Phillips, that has already begun to happen.

A story from the Washington Examinera conservative newspaper in the US, reports that Phillps has a criminal record to his name after being charged for alcohol-related crimes, assault and escaping from prison in his teenage years and early 20s.

The article cites a story from the Lincoln Star states that a 19-year-old Phillips was charged for "escaping from the Nebraska Penal Complex where he was confined May 3" in 1974.

In the same year, he pleaded guilty and was fined $200 for assault and was charged on three other occasions in the 1970s for underage possession of alcohol. Other offences include the destruction of property, of which the charges were dropped and driving without a licence.

The article also contests his status as a 'Vietnam times veteran' by revealing that during his service to the Marines he was only enlisted as refrigerator technician and was never deployed outside of the US.

The story has also been picked up by the New York Postand shared by the likes of Donald Trump Jr and NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch.

Phillips is yet to respond to the Examiners article about his military history or criminal record but the in-depth research that has been conducted into his personal history has drawn the ire of people online.

Many are taking exception with the US media's attempts to shame Phillips for crimes that he committed decades ago just justify their support of the Covington Catholic students.

Some have used Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as an example of someone that was accused of an alcohol-related crime when he was younger but has avoided any criminal charges.

More: MAGA hat boy refuses to apologise in infuriating interview after stand-off with Native American man