In a chilling message, former President Trump pledged to investigate Comcast if he is elected in 2024. Trump insisted that the parent company for NBC and MSNBC “will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events.” The stated grounds are “country threatening treason.” The pledge is not simply a threat to these news organizations but to the Constitution. While Trump has a history of reckless rhetoric, the statement on Truth Social is an attack on core First Amendment values that define us as a nation.
I have been highly critical of the network for bias and sometimes flawed analysis. It is often the focus of my warnings that we have drifted into a type of de facto state media by consent rather than coercion. Much of this challenged coverage concerns Trump. The vast majority of the public views the media as biased.
I have also long criticized Trump for reckless rhetoric, particularly his repeated reference to the media as the “enemy of the people.”
I have also criticized Democrats who have pressured cable providers to drop Fox and attacked journalists challenging Biden policies.
This is a further escalation of that rhetoric and it is wrong regardless of the complaints over the coverage at NBC/MSNBC.
Trump stated:
“[t]hey are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC NEWS, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its ‘Country Threatening Treason.
I say up front, openly, and proudly, that when I WIN the Presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events.
The Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!”
The bigger price would be paid by our constitutional system if such retaliatory actions are taken against critical media companies by a president. The independent press remains a critical protection for this nation despite its flaws. The only thing worst than a biased media is a government that investigates reporters as traitors for their coverage.
While the echo chamber of news is a serious problem for this country, it is a matter for the public to resolve in the market for news. Many news organizations are struggling, including the Washington Post, due to the loss of readers.
The media plays a critical role in our political system. Despite false stories in the last few years, the media often serves to check government abuse by uncovering waste, lies, and unlawful conduct from the Pentagon Papers to Watergate.
Notably, it is unlikely that there is a “there there” in any investigation other than bias. The lock-step coverage of the media from the false Russian collusion claims to false stories like the migrant whipping story is due to the loss of objectivity in journalism. It is consensual rather than conspiratorial. It is also wrong, but that wrong will not be righted by unleashing the government on the media.
I have supported an investigation into the government engaging in “censorship by surrogate” on social media and the Congress can demand answers on the government’s actions vis-a-vis the media. However, targeting the media to be investigated for treason is a threat to free press values.
In 1789, Edmund Burke pointed to the media (which often criticized him) in Parliament and said “there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all.”
The defining moment for this country came with the trial of publisher John Peter Zenger by the Crown in New York. Gov. William Cosby used language very similar to Trump’s in unleashing his government on the newspaper. Cosby declared that the paper was publishing “divers scandalous, virulent, false and seditious reflections.” He ordered four editions to be burned publicly.
The jury refused to allow the abuse and acquitted Zenger. From that time, respect for the independence of the press has remained part of our DNA despite our disagreements with coverage.
James Madison called press freedom “the choicest privilege of the people.”
Running for president on a platform of investigating the press may be popular, but it is dangerous and it is wrong.
Hmmm…no mention of Fox News bias? Wait – Fox is Turley’s employer? Turley posing as an expert conveying impartial wisdom is pathetic.
Any American that loves their country more than their party, should read arguably the greatest speech in 50 years! Can’t remember a more important speech by any American leader.
The retirement speech last week, was made by non-partisan and highly decorated General Mark Milley on America’s loyalty oath, after Milley was attacked by petty politicians challenging his loyalty.
Milley a highly decorated former Special Forces soldier that literally risked life and limb to protect the petty politicians that attacked him.
It was arguably the best and most accurate speech on what the American Oath of Office stands for. Must read!
Here was what Bob Woodward alleged that General Milley had said.
https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1437811421924954118
“If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise,” Milley said.
It might be time to oil the hinges on your rocker and climb back up, JT.
The cumulative damage done to this country by the New York Times masquerading as journalism dwarfs anything ISIS ever did but Trump rightly punched their tickets. Why does Sulzberger get a pass? Because of the address of his building? Think again.
I suppose your next essay will be about the poor hapless citizen Ray Epps, a man patriotic to the core, now unfairly persecuted by the FBI and their viscous misdemeanor charge?
Well, said. As an independent, not even living in the U.S., the heavy handed bias of U.S. media is sickening and deserves far more than anything Donald Trump may conjure up. America is in bad need of a second revolution followed by trials that would dwarf the Nuremberg trials including hangings and the firing squad.
Amen The press is as culpable as any Demarxist. We are in extraordinary times and all trails lead to Bejing.
Surely there should be a clear, delineated, distinction between free speech and the abuse of free speech. (ie) Lying…It wasn’t just Trump that was affected by the collusion hoax it was the entire country including trust in the media. That has gone and won’t be coining back anytime soon, ever. The reporting on the hoax demonstrated their overt bias. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but they’re not entitled to their own facts. .
“Surely there should be a clear, delineated, distinction between free speech and the abuse of free speech. (ie) Lying.”
Who decides on such a distinction? The government, with a “Lying Governance Board?”
Good lord! These comments are shocking. The leftmediaswine have engaged in reprehensible behavior, but we still have some vestige of a First Amendment. The greatest sin of the Democrats is lawlessness. Trump has every right to be furious with them, crooked courts, corrupt federal law enforcement and the media who pimp for them. He does not have the right to emulate them.
Maybe you should call out the media and big governments symbiotic relationship, they should be investigated for collusion with the Dem part, do you think we are stupid Turley? They should all be in jail.
Here’s the thing: Trump is thinking about media collusion with government. It’s something worth investigating. He could probably be more clear with his language. But Mr Turley, how can he be prosecuted for questioning elections and silenced by Judges if we can’t do the same to media?