GRAY: Taxpayers’ subsidization of war on Fox News

The Washington Times ^ | June 21, 2011 | C. Boyden Gray

[Kaslin]

David Brock, the conservative turned liberal advocate, has recently garnered a considerable amount of press coverage for his attacks on Fox News for, among many other things, allegedly taking over leadership of the Republican Party. What the news coverage has ignored is his use of tax-free funds for his organization, Media Matters for America (MMA), for these attacks — a form of government support for activities that clearly do not merit tax-exempt status and that as a result infringe on Fox News’ First Amendment rights.

MMA was originally established as an Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) organization, that is, an organization that can receive tax-deductible contributions to engage in educational activities. The more precise purpose was to counter alleged media bias and so to “identify occurrences of excessive bias in the American media, educate the public as to their existence, and to work with members of the media to reduce them.”

What MMA actually is doing, however, moves far afield from identifying possible bias to mounting a campaign to undermine a major media outlet and to promote the Democratic Party and progressive causes associated with it. Mr. Brock himself has described this new strategy as “a war on Fox,” an effort “to disrupt [Rupert Murdoch‘s] commercial interests” and look for ways to turn regulators against News Corp.’s media outlets.

[US Navy Vet]

Media Matters for America = Open Society = George Soros

[God luvs America]

1- we need to start an email/letter writing campaign to Tea Party members of congress to stop this or bring this to light...

2- we need to get James “I brought down ACORN & pointed out the BS of NPR” O’Keefe involved....

[rockrr]

David Brock, the self-proclaimed conservative turned liberal advocate...

In the interest of accuracy...;-)

[Jim Scott]

The left's 'war' on Fox News has been a flop so far so I'm not too worried about Rupert Murdoch going broke anytime soon. I do worry a bit that the incessant attacks on Fox News will force Murdoch to water down the networks coverage in a wasted effort to curry favor with the left and ward off further attacks. That would be foolish on Murdoch's part. Because most of what they advocate (communism) the left has to lie and misrepresent their intent and so, they cannot abide opposition. We know that Fox News is far from hard-core conservative but they do question Democrat positions and have some conservative commentators on board. This is 'unacceptable' to the left, so the 'war' against Fox News continues on various fronts. That taxpayer money helps fund it is outrageous and should be stopped, now. Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

[Red Badger]

conservative ?

WHen was he ever?

I think he was a plant from day 1.......................

[fantom]

“David Brock, the conservative turned liberal advocate, has recently garnered a considerable amount of press coverage for his attacks on Fox News for, among many other things, allegedly taking over leadership of the Republican Party”.
What press , where? More waste of space drivel.

[Tzimisce]

MMA’s funding should be cut off and they should be hammered with the US taxcode.

But they’re a liberal organization, so it won’t happen.

So pay your taxes (MMA needs the money) and have a nice day. :)

[Terry Mross]

This hypocracy is one of the reasons I have many relatives with whom I’m no longer on speaking terms.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kaslin.

David Brock, the conservative turned liberal... use of tax-free funds for his... Media Matters for America (MMA), for these attacks -- a form of government support for activities that clearly do not merit tax-exempt status and that as a result infringe on Fox News’ First Amendment rights. MMA was originally established as an Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) organization, that is, an organization that can receive tax-deductible contributions to engage in educational activities.

[Son House]

Speaker Boehner is too busy golfing to pull the plug on the spending

[zerosix]

One doesn't "get James O'Keefe" involved in anything; he "gets" himself involved, then we hear about it when he has enough evidence to demand action.

By the time we hear about some travesty, O'Keefe's done his home work months before. IMHO

[TheOldLady]

If he ever really was a conservative, how can he live with himself? It’s more likely that he was one of the infiltrators, possibly taking soros money all along, and he has no qualms about performing like a maniacal dancing bear for his masters.