Fox News is rejecting pressure from the White House to retract stories about alleged Biden family corruption in the aftermath of the FBI’s arrest of a former informant.
In a letter from Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House, the regime demanded that the conservative news network take down its reporting about Alexander Smirnov’s allegations that then-Vice President Joe Biden was involved in a foreign bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings which employed his son Hunter in a highly paid position despite his lack of industry experience.
Smirnov, the source identified in the FD-1023 document that has been a component of House Republicans’ probe into the president and his family, was indicted by special counsel David Weiss last month and has subsequently been arrested, a conveniently timed development that has led to Biden’s allies claiming that the president has been cleared of wrongdoing.
“I write to you about Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital coverage of the false, discredited ‘bribery’ allegation involving President Joe Biden, which Fox outlets have given significant coverage over the past year,” Sams wrote in the letter.
“We feel strongly that all Fox News Digital articles on this topic should at a minimum be updated with editor’s notes informing readers that the source of this allegation has been federally indicted for making it up. We also feel strongly that Fox News Channel television personalities like Hannity and Watters, among others, should inform their viewers on air that they have been sharing a discredited allegation from a source who has been federally indicted for making it up,” reads the letter, which was reported by multiple outlets.
The letter is light on specifics of exactly what sort of wrongdoing the White House is accusing the network of and Fox News has reported on the latest developments alleging that Smirnov was not being truthful.
“Fox News Media has reported on all key developments since the announcement that Alexander Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI, featuring the story prominently,” a spokesperson for the network told The Hill, defying the White House’s press bullying. “We will continue to report on developments in all aspects of the ongoing investigations, hearings, and trials.”
Sams seems to have a beef with Fox News as his recent social media activity shows.
Comer was on Hannity tonight. He was on Hannity’s radio show earlier today. He was on Hannity Wednesday. He was on Hannity 3 times before that in the past month.
The man’s congressional directory entry may as well read Rep. James Comer (R-Hannity) since he basically lives there. https://t.co/vKSdALXy48
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) March 2, 2024
WashPost: “Bartiromo’s two programs, Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria and Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, featured references to the now-indicted FBI informant’s claims at least 219 times in 2023”
219 times!!!
She still has not offered a correctionhttps://t.co/Y9jvG8uOQK pic.twitter.com/pcteELxDpv
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) March 1, 2024
Wow, this interview did NOT go well for this Oversight Committee Republican
You have to just watch the whole thing: pic.twitter.com/gNPIjpWXW1
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) February 28, 2024
“In 2020, Fox News’ ‘Brain Room’ research team reportedly warned the network about disinformation on this very topic and from sources just like this. Fox even reportedly fired one of its on-air contributors who had been a leader in promoting this disinformation. So it is clear that Fox itself, at one point, acknowledged the dangers of promulgating false allegations on this topic from these types of sources – yet, less than four years later, Fox has alarmingly reversed course. This is in need of correction,” Sams concluded his letter, referring follow-up to White House political operatives Karine Jean-Pierre, Anita Dunn and Ben LaBolt.
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