What began as a fake news story with a ridiculous claim about an underage sex dungeon in a pizza shop, designed to undermine HRC and the Dems, has evolved into a situation where those that were duped and touted it now feel compelled to make it be true, even if it isn't. And the more they irrationally try to defend their adherence to the fake news, the worse it gets because then they have to defend that.
Just admit it was bogus, you were fooled, and move on. We all know it, anyway. The path to getting your credibility back is to admit it, promise to pay closer attention to facts and less to obviously absurd claims, and then execute that plan. The worst thing you can do when confronted by the truth about this is to continue to deny it to save face.
It isn't working.