Posted on 04/25/2023 6:56:12 AM PDT by Red Badger
A new court document leak from the lawsuit between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems sheds new light on the network’s decision to ‘move on’ from Donald Trump.
The document leak comes amidst a significant shakeup to the talent aired on the network. Tucker Carlson, the most-watched host on primetime cable news, was pushed out of his position as host of the flagship show on the network in the 8 P.M. slot.
Dan Bongino, a Fox News contributor, popular guest, and host of the show “Unfiltered,” was unable to come to terms with Fox News last week on renewing his contract.
At least one prominent media observer predicts Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro will be fired from Fox News as Rupert Murdoch moves to be less “vulnerable” following the network’s nearly $800 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. Per the Radar online report last week, Fox News critic Dylan Byers predicted both Bartiromo and Pirro will be axed from the network.
While Fox News did not provide immediate explanation about why the network decided to part ways with its top primetime host Tucker Carlson, reports began to surface that Rupert Murdoch was behind the decision.
“Carlson’s exit is related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, the producer fired by the network last month,” the L.A. Times earlier reported.
“Murdoch is also said to be concerned over Carlson’s coverage of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, in which the host has promoted the conspiracy theory that it was provoked by government agents,” the report added.
As the Daily Beast reported on Monday night, the Fox News bloodletting came at the behest of the Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott.
“In Carlson’s case, it was Fox Corp CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott who made the call on Friday night to can him and his show, Confider has learned, thanks largely (and surprisingly) in part to vulgar comments he made about Sidney Powell, the right-wing lawyer behind many of the bonkers 2020 election lies pushed on Fox’s airwaves,” the report said.
“Tucker was already pissing off Fox management between his conspiracy-laden coverage of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, including the repeated and baseless targeting of Trump supporter Ray Epps as being an FBI agent who instigated the insurrection; a looming lawsuit from his former producer Abby Grossberg alleging a sexist work environment; and his disparaging remarks about Fox brass in documents made public,” the report added.
In the background, however, is a looming presence that has become quite influential with the Fox News’ top brass: Former Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
According to a recently leaked court document from Dominion Voting System’s lawsuit against Fox News, Ryan has been an influential force behind the network’s decision to move on from Donald Trump.
. . . . .
. . . . .
“As a Board Member, Ryan believed that the period immediately following the 2020 Presidential Election ‘was a pretty important inflection point, not just for the company Fox, but for the country and for the conservative movement itself,’ and shared this ‘view as a fiduciary’ with Rupert and Lachlan,” the document says, citing an exhibit.
“Ryan told Rupert and Lachlan ‘that Fox News should not be spreading conspiracy theories’,” the document added.
The court filing adds that Paul Ryan was deeply involved in discussions of how to cover the post-2020 election fallout. . . . . .
. . . . .
“On December 6 , 2020, Paul Ryan texted Rupert and Lachlan, telling them, we are entering a truly bizarre phase of this where [Trump] has actually convinced himself of this farce and will do more bizarre things to delegitimize the election,” the legal document states. “I see this as a key inflection point for Fox, where the right thing and the smart business thing to do line up nicely.”
Thus, we can see the obvious implication that as an “inflection point” for Fox News, the “smart business thing” would be to move on from Donald Trump. This was reinforced with more explicit statements.
. . . . .
. . . .
“Paul Ryan also continued to discuss strategic direction with the Murdochs during this timeframe,” the court document adds. “Ryan told Dias about his own conversation with Rupert and Lachlan, reporting he told them that this is a huge inflection point to keep Trump down and move on for the future of the conservative movement. Ryan added: Both Rupert and Lachlan agree fully. ‘The key is to execute our collective will.’ Ryan agreed it was his job as a Board member to weigh in because it was a strategic decision about what to do. Ryan was ‘hopeful that the events of January 6 were so shocking that it would help the conservative movement and Fox News move on from Donald Trump’.”
While a Carlson’s ouster was not part of the $787.5-million settlement Fox News agreed to pay to Dominion Voting Systems, according to a representative for Dominion, the backdrop of the host’s coverage of the 2020 election almost certainly weighed heavily on the decision to part ways with Tucker Carlson. But it may have been Tucker Carlson’s exploration of the federal government’s role of the events of January 6 that made the top brass the most squeamish.
Fox News letting go of Tucker Carlson and Dan Bongino, as two of the strongest conservative voices on Fox News, surely signals a pivot away from the pro-Trump base, although longtime veterans Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham remain. It bears watching if Fox News cuts ties with more pro-Trump voices ahead of its 2024 election coverage.
In any event, Fox News with left with a gaping void in its primetime coverage, as it has parted ways with a prominent host willing to stand up to both the Republican establishment and the Democratic Party. His voice will surely be missed on the network, but his loyal following is highly interested to see what Tucker Carlson does next.
Paul Ryan is cancer for Fox
News is being paid to lie.
Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott is just another Soros and ADL apparachik. The same goes for Abby Grossberg.
I haven’t had cable TV in at least 4 years. I only watched Tucker occassionally, and that was the segments that were posted on YouTube.
Instead of Fox News, I would highly recommend an outstanding alternative: “Real America’s Voice,” (”RAV”) online at https://americasvoice.news/ (I keep “RAV” in a open tab on my browser even when I’m not watching it, so that I can easily switch to it.)
From their website, they are available on: Dish 219, Samsung TV Plus 1029, Pluto TV 240, ROKU, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Select TV 106. The “Real America’s Voice” app is available for streaming on your “smart TV” or through one of the above streaming devices.
I highly recommend “The War Room” hosted by Steve Bannon. It’s on from 10-12 am Mon.-Sat. and 5-6 pm. (The schedule varies slightly on Saturday and Sunday and I think some are re-broadcasts.)
There are also video clips on the “Real America’s Voice” site from various programs: https://americasvoice.news/category/videos/
And then, there is always “The War Room” website https://warroom.org/ for reviewing show highlights of guests, and important news and information.
Paul Ryan is cancer to this nation. He was handpicked by Cesar Conda and the open borders lobby to keep that border open, give Puerto Rico statehood (like Desantis) and be a RINO!
although longtime veterans Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham remain.”
Ingraham is a never Trumper
Fox viewers are ready to move on too.
Paul Ryan = Alissa Heinerscheid.
Fox’d rather go broke than support free speech.
The decision to pay that ridicules settlement rests solely on Murdock, Ryan. Their counsel, Webb, had previously represented Trump on some issues and IMO had no desire to toss in the towel on this one. Almost 800 million to a firm worth 50 million just two years prior, no way. Not sure they would have won the suit anyway. No this was a Murdock/Ryan anti Trump move as it provides the left with mucho funds to continue their stamping out any dissent. First Amendment, no longer. Second on way out too. Looking at how defendants were treated from Jan 6th, I’d say the 5th, 6th and 14th amendments mean nothing.
Pattern recognition is bigotry. Stop noticing things or we will have to shut you down.
Murdoch and Ryan are slowly killing the network. Which I suppose is fine at network TV will be history in the coming 5-10 years.
Murdoch’s sons and Ryan.....................
Ryan’s a total loser.
He lost, lost, lost as Speaker. His vapid deer in the headlights look shows that he still doesn’t get anything.
He assumes people will follow him around like little sheep. When those “followers” evaporate one morning, he’ll be stunned: wait, where did they all go?
The concept that there are choices is lost on him.
Fox was basically dead after they forced out O’Really. He was a thing of the past, a cretinous weirdo indigenous to New York and not much else. But he was the opposite of the party line propagandists of the Mazeltov Alphabet networks, so people put up with the wrinkly crustiness.
And then came Carlson: young AND hip, funny AND biting, laughing all the way at the dumbthug evil that is the Democrat party and its Communist core.
Ryan can’t even get close to such a guy. He’s so intrinsincally irrelevant as a person, someone like Carlson is incomprehensible to him: how is this guy so popular? Wait, I’M the popular guy! Cuz I said so! We gotta get ridda dis guy, he’s screwing up the gig.
Except without him there is no gig. Everyone else there is just baggage.
Like the wheezing, dying US car companies, the lumbering, coughing Rust Belt smokestack cities, Go Along to Get Alongs like Ryan will now feel the earth crumble and crack beneath his feet. And then give way, taking him with it.
Carlson will still be out there. Ryan thinks the platform gave him a voice, but as usual, he doesn’t get it: it’s the man, not the machine.
Bye Bye lil Eddie.
I heard it suggested Murdoch is preparing to sell the network. Allowing Blackrock to buy it would be preferable to his lunatic son inheriting it.
Yep, unloading your top talent and payroll makes it cheaper for someone to buy and cash out.
Dumping expensive contracts and ‘controversial’ assets.
Yep, many wok corporations would not advertise on FOX, follow the money.
Paul Ryano, as Speaker of the House, undermined Trump during Trump’s first two years as president, and no doubt continued the same during his entire time at FNC.
He was a cancer for America
I’m in favor of illegals cause they are catholic like me
He said essentially that to I think Luis Gutierrez
What a two faced traitor
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.