According to Axios, Democrat operatives are allegedly facilitating news sites to push campaigns in close states during the midterm elections. The article discusses 51 sites with names such as the Milwaukee Metro Times, the Mecklenburg Herald, and the Tri-City Record. These sites are reportedly being supported by the American Independent (TAI), which was “launched by Democratic operative and fundraiser David Brock — also known for founding the left-leaning media watchdog Media Matters for America.”
Axios refers to the array of sites as the “Democrats’ swing-state local news ploy.” The sites present “ostensible local media outlets churning out Democrat-aligned news content.”
David Brock has long been someone known as an extreme figure in politics and was closely associated with Hillary Clinton’s campaigns. Brock, however, has always given figures like Clinton deniability in direct responsibility for his actions.
TAI and related groups appear to have been established to create the usual layers of obscurity.
Some of these sites are reportedly managed by Local Report, Inc., which appears linked to TAI.
American Independent bills itself as:
“the No. 1 digital platform for progressive news, reaching millions of people each month. We strive to report with honesty and integrity and shine a light on those in power who obstruct progress.”
The president of TAI is Matt Fuehrmeyer who formerly worked as a senior aide with the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee and the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. TAI Vice President and Executive Editor is Jessica McCreight who reportedly is a former Obama communications staff member.
Despite promising to “shine light” on media coverage, Axios reported that TAI was less than forthcoming when confronted on these alleged faux media sites: “McCreight, TAI’s executive editor, described its relationship with Local Report Inc. as a “co-publishing agreement” but would not say whether her organization has editorial control over the sites’ content.”
What is interesting is the report that Democrats have been using sites like CourierNewsroom.com to flood social media with “stories” supporting Democrats — at a time when Democrats were denouncing disinformation and calling for bans on these sties. That site is funded by Acronym, a Democrat-aligned nonprofit, which in turn is reportedly funded by “dark money” accounts.
For its part, Media Matters was again in the news this week in opposing the restoration of free speech protections on social media sites like Twitter. President Angelo Carusone denounced a possible Elon Musk takeover as potentially disastrous. He warned that Musk “wants to put in place and the way that he wants to use the platform, as a way to balance out those other social networks.” Balancing other social networks? Perish the thought.
This is, however, the quote that most stood out:
“He likened the potential Musk acquisition of Twitter to when Fox News launched more than two decades ago, offering an alternative to balance what its founders viewed as a media landscape that catered to liberals. “That’s what Fox became — and it had a profound distorting effect on the news media, on our society. And if you look at what Musk says about social media, we are in the same moment, just updated 30 years late.”
(For full disclosure, I currently work as a legal analyst for Fox).
The fear that Twitter could become a new Fox is telling. Fox remains the most popular cable news network; it not only often doubles the viewership of its rivals, but more Democrats watch Fox than CNN.
The comment is the latest example of panic on the left over the potential loss of control over speech on social media. The reference to Fox highlights the obvious problem with using corporate censorship if there is any alternative to censored or biased sites. Previously, Democratic Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney of California wrote a letter to cable carriers like AT&T to ask why they are still allowing people to watch FOX News. It did not work. Whatever the desire to ban Fox, the cable carriers know that they cannot block the most popular news source on cable.
The fear is that Twitter could not just flourish in offering a site with free speech protections but undermine the extensive system of corporate censorship established over the last ten years. They have reason to be worried. Despite a bizarre campaign by Facebook to get people to embrace censorship, most users clearly want a type of common carrier on social media without corporate censors. If a major social media were to return to such free speech protections, it could indeed become the dominant social media company…and that would be a good thing.
Jonathan: It is no big surprise that in the waning days before the Fall elections you would turn to how “left-leaning” media groups and “Democrat operatives” are trying to influence how the media covers the midterms. You accuse a number of these groups of flooding social media with “stories supporting Democrats” using “dark money”. Gee, I always thought “dark money” came from right-wing groups like the Koch Bros. Shows you how naive I was.. Anyway, you single out David Brock (founder of “Media Matters”) for particular criticism. You say Brock is an “extreme figure”. So far as I can tell you have never claimed Trump is an “extreme figure”. I guess that term has to be reserved for left-leaning figures like Brock. So who is David Brock you think is such a threat?
National Review has called Brock a “right-wing assassin turned left-wing assassin”. Politico says Brock is a “former right-wing journalist -turned-pro-Clinton crusader”. When Brock changed stripes some on the left were suspicious. On the right Brock was considered a “traitor”. In his 2004 book “The Republican Noise Machine” Brock laid out his case that there was an inter-connected, concerted effort to raise the profile of conservative opinions in the press through false claims of “liberal media bias” by Fox News and academics. Now I know why you don’t like Brock. Claims of “liberal media bias” have been bread and butter for some time. The same year Brock founded “Media Matters” that is “dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing and correcting conservative misinformation in the US media”. In 2011 Brock vowed to wage “guerilla warfare and sabotage” against Fox News. As a Fox employee that was a bridge too far for you!
So what is Brock doing now that you think violates some unwritten norm? He is working overtime this fall to get liberal Democrats elected to office. And he is doing that through his super-PAC–spending millions in a super charged advertising campaign that is pointing out the misinformation and disinformation in the media campaigns of right-wing Republicans. Brock is doing exactly what the GOP and right-wing groups (like the Koch Bros) have been doing for years–with the support of the right-wing media like Fox.. Brock has simply taken a page right out of the GOP playbook. He has turned that strategy on its head! So please explain how Mitch McConnell’s super-PAC in support of right-wing GOP candidates is any different than what Brock is doing. Seems you are applying a double standard. It’s sour grapes for you to now complain about what Brock and related groups are doing. I say, turn about is fair play!
Right. It is a myth that mainstream media is biased against conservatives. The truth is outfits like the New York Times are much tougher on Biden than they were on Trump.
Say what?
I’m sorry (?), but that is the most hilarious thing that I’ve read in some time
Good one Barnum, I’m rolling on the floor laughing!!!
Ooh ooh the Koch Bros have the support of right wing media like Fox. You know who Democrats have the support of? Everyone else.
The rest of cable news and mainstream news. Hollywood. Trial lawyers. Unions. TV shows and personalities. Colleges and universities. Professors. Students. Antifa. Wall Street. Banks. Millionaires. Billionaires like Bill Gates, et al.
Sit down Dennis. Your panties are in a bunch. Get them sorted out. You will feel so much better.
Anonymous: Sorry to disappoint. I don’t wear “panties”. The last time I tried that my wife said: “Get your own underwear!”. Personal insults, that your resort to often in your comments, don’t work with me!
Now, you say: “You know who Democrats have the support of? Everyone else”. If “everyone else” includes so many diverse groups what does that say about the appeal of your ideas? If Turley is right that Fox is the most “popular” cable TV channel what are you complaining about? You keep spewing out so much nonsense. Whatever underwear it is you have on it is too tight and is cutting off the blood to your brain!
Slate offers a withering analysis of David Brock.
David Brock, Liar. A lifelong habit proves hard to break.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2002/03/david-brock-liar.html
It all makes sense now, i.e. the trolls who continually berate Professor Turley for his work with Fox News. The paid trolls work for David Brock’s Media Matters. Heads up, Darren. Media Matters doesnt just inject itself in local news sites but also Res Ipsa Loquitur
Media Matters founder accuses gay ex-lover of blackmailing him for $850K after breakup
27 February 2012
By Daily Mail Reporter
David Brock, the founder of the liberal media watchdog organization Media Matters, was blackmailed for $850,000 by his gay ex-lover who threatened to reveal information about the nonprofit group’s finances to donors and the IRS, according to dueling lawsuits.
In order to pay the handsome sum, Brock sold a historic $1.5 million home he owned in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the author claims.
The lovers’ quarrel was dug up by Fox News, which as been at war with Brock and Media Matters for years over his criticism of the network’s conservative voice. Media Matters is a liberal organization that rails against the influence of conservative media.
Fox News is its most frequent target.
###
I also did not know about David Brock being outed, his being adopted and how the death of his father in 1999 has consumed him for a constant need for approval by others, leading to his mercurial personality when others disapprove of him. IOW, David Brock has mental issues, likely personality disorders, who is ashamed. Makes perfect sense.
David Brock, Gone Fishin’
July 18, 2011
https://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2011/07/18/david_brock_gone_fishin_106286.html
Brock’s father died of cancer in 1999, and the scene describing that, which comes at the end of Blinded by the Right, is the best in the book. Brock is adopted, and there has been some speculation, at least on Fox News, that his mercurial and extreme politics have been a quest for paternal approval or a response to his shame at being adopted.
I think it’s much more simple: Brock was a shy, highly intelligent kid who in high school was awkward and homosexual. He craved acceptance. A talented writer interested in politics, he was appalled by the antics of the crazy left at Berkeley, and as a result he was embraced by conservatives.
The thrill of the money and fame was like a drug. Brock pushed his stories to further and further extremes.
“The impact of my father’s death was such that I took the probings of my prior political commitments and ethical failings to a deeper level,” Brock writes. “I wondered whether the lessons I learned during my time in the right wing might be applied more broadly to the dangers of all political zealotry, whether on the right or the left.”
Well, yes. For instance, you may not want to launch a multimillion dollar nonprofit whose sole objective is to censor a network whose political views you disagree with.
It’s good advice. This has been going on since the early days of message boards, but it’s a bonafide industry now, and modern Silicon Valley embraces it heartily. Chances are good that people who comment on every post all day long that castigate and demonize plenty but seemingly never make a counterpoint are likely paid to do so (who else has time?). This has infiltrated virtually every public online forum at this point, from movie or Amazon reviews to sites like this one. They are legion, and it is literally *their job*.
Vell zaid.
David Brock’s seamless transition from right-wing creep to left-wing creep, a more crowded and therefore more competitive environment, has really paid off for him.
Progressives can not handle complexity, just tell them what they know is right and label the rest disinformation. Half the country is below average in intelligence.
David Brock and John Podesta and John Bolton and their ilk would make this nation so much better if they simply left forever.
Professor Turley’s observations identify the core of Democratic Party philosophy: the public cannot handle certain opinions, especially ones they don’t agree with. Therefore, censorship is needed to protect the world from itself. This elitist mentality has been verified by former Clinton cabinet member Robert Reich, who wrote about the dangers of a Musk takeover of Twitter and the importance of “content moderation.” I will never, ever trust an organization that believes a country needs to be guided by censorship for its own good.
War is peace and censorship is freedom. Gueeze man don’t you get it?
COVID-1984
Shut down the economy. Shut down the churches. Shut down the schools. Shut down dissent.
Censoring, cancelling, suppressing.
There will be no criticism of the Biden administration.
The Biden administration is colluding with Big Tech, Social Media and the fake news to actively suppress anything it determines is misinformation or against the ruling regime. Social media companies are now acting as agents of the state.
The Biden adminstration is coordinating with corporations, ‘news’ media, entertainers, TV personalities to push out its preferred narrative (propaganda) to audiences, while actively censoring, smearing, suppressing information outside the prescribed government ‘narrative.’
Which party is “in bed with” corporations now, Democrats?
From the most recent Judicial Watch document dump, Tom Fitton said: “These records show a disturbing and massive campaign by the Biden administration to propagandize and politicize the controversial COVID vaccine. It seems as if the entire entertainment industry was an agent for the government!”
Sharyl Attkisson reports: “Judicial Watch has obtained 249 pages of records from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) detailing the extensive $250 million dollar taxpayer funded government project to promote and push the Covid-19 vaccine through the use of celebrities, the late night “comedy” shows, sports stars, musicians and various social media outlets.”
COVID-1984
Fox News also took government money to promote covid vaccines ‘narrative.’
Somehow I don’t think the folks at Fox are big fans of Dr. Fauci and his BS.
Anonymous who is wrong or deceptive about almost anything makes a claim. Can we believe his claim? Everyone has been getting Covid money, but anonymous is saying “Fox News … money to promote” Can anonymous prove that or will this non-credible being supply an anonymous source or a generalization? Maybe the government took out an advertisement but that is not a Fox News promotion.
The thing anonymous is trying to hide is the millions given to people including Fauci as presents and the millions in deals we don’t know about. What a turkey anonymous is when he tries to deflect from important news.
I’ll wait for anonymous to provide proof and if he can’t, we can add this as another time anonymous makes a claim that is wrong.
Look it up yourself. The government paid news organizations, including Fox, to run ads promoting the covid vaccines. It was a massive, tax-dollar-paid propaganda fear campaign encouraging the public to take the entirely experimental ‘vaccine,’ while touting it as the single solution to their pandemic fears. A Government paid propaganda fear campaign. That’s exactly what it was. And still is.
.”Look it up yourself. The government paid news organizations, including Fox, to run ads promoting the covid vaccines.”
You are repeating what my comment said and utilizing that as an argument supporting your claim: “Maybe the government took out an advertisement but that is not a Fox News promotion.”
“A Government paid propaganda fear campaign.”
I agree with this.
Your short comment sounded like ATS. You have the same icon and name as ATS. If you aren’t ATS and don’t wish to be confused with him, get a different name and icon from him. Don’t get upset that what appears to be rage against FOX places you in a category containing a lot of fools.
Democrats dumbed down our education with their DIE and SEL agendas, convincing people that voting with your emotions is better than voting with your brain (which is is why we got Biden). Dems also have spent decades colluding with the Press and have turned about 92% of it into a propaganda arm of the DNC. Today’s Press has few if any investigative reporters – though the NY Post and Epoch Times are actually doing investigative reporting on a regular basis.
Thinking Americans understand the slanting of the news.
We have learned to find our own trusted sources.
These lefty propaganda sources only appeal to low IQ (thanks Rush) voters – ie Democrats.
These lefties are like monkeys humping a football; lots of activity, little production.
OT,
In Florida, a study running from DEC2020, till JUN2022, found an increase of 84% increase in cardiac-related deaths within the first 28 days of getting the shot.
The Florida surgeon general, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, has recommended against men aged 18-39 getting the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
He also posted his recommendations on Twitter.
Want to take a guess at what Twitter did?
Well, now. Isn’t that interesting.
“The president of TAI is Matt Fuehrmeyer who formerly worked as a senior aide with… the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.”
The late cyclops rises from the dead. Whenever I see Harry’s name, I know dirty tricks are the subject.
Fox “had a profound distorting effect on the news media, on our society.”
Translated:
We demand a monolithic, Establishment viewpoint in academia, Hollywood, corporations, science, the media. (Anything more than mono just confuses the serfs.) How dare you distort our monolith.
I’ve received a few materials from these groups. A trained eye wouldn’t take them seriously (how many of us have that in the era of internet memes?), but describing it as insidious wouldn’t be at all out of the ballpark. What I have received has been on par in its propagandistic rambling and misrepresentation with the flyers you used to see on your windshield, and likely promptly discarded, decades ago talking about the ‘Zionist Agenda’. Not a good look, DNC, and a whole lot of us are old enough to remember. Based solely on the materials’ content, these people are the heirs of those that in the 19th century still believed Jewish people had horns and that black folks didn’t bleed red.
Under the heading of defining ‘misinformation,’ I just read (don’t believe everything you see in print of course – a lesson from at least the 1950’s) that a ‘Harvard-affiliated hospital has stated that in the womb, the unborn child knows if it is ‘trans’ —-
My first reaction was not to dismiss this claim, but to search the usual web sources for the research underlying this pretty shocking conclusion — it appears there is little to none.
Richard Lowe,
As I noted in another post, James brought up the Harvard unborn child knows if it is “trans” thing.
It sounded so fantastic (not in a good way) it HAD to be an Onion, or Bee satire post.
It is not.
What I picked up from that very same article was the admission that this was, in fact, a sentient human child. And as such, if that child can know if its trans, it can also know if it wants to be born.
“It is so, because we said it is so. Now, shut up, peasant before we report to the FBI that you are an insurrectionist;”
Lloyd Doggett, a democrat Congressman from Austin Texas has a website with a section entitled “Issues.” The first sentence of the discussion under this section is, “[t]he peaceful protests across our country, which began after an officer sworn to uphold the law suffocated African American George Floyd…” Although Doggett was a millionaire when he went into office, after two decades of “serving” his constituents, his net worth today is estimated by a website that tracks those things at $29 million. Shrewd investments, no doubt. I mention Doggett only because Congress is full of those types. The blatant lie about “peaceful protests” to satisfy the snowflakes who reside in his district carries no penalty for deception, only the reward of re-election. Media Matters and even the mainstream media provide backup and cover for elected officials who need to lie to prevent people from actually hearing and acting on the truth.
Over the past nearly 60 years Austin has been represented in Congress by two Democrats – which tells you a lot about the district.
Well, in 2024 the FBI can continue with it’s new modernized mission of crushing domestic dissent, but can now be re-aimed at democrat disinformation campaigns. These players can be targeted for bankruptcy by the FBI’s new credo: “The process is the punishment”.
Velkom to the new Amerika.