Dems Accuse Fox News of Illegal Campaign Contribution

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Democrats

John Kasich, Republican candidate for governor in Ohio.

(Credit: Facebook)

The Democratic Governors Association is accusing Fox News of making an illegal campaign contribution to a Republican gubernatorial candidate, the Huffington Post reports.

The DGA reportedly filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission accusing Fox of giving Ohio candidate John Kasich free political advertising.

When Kasich appeared on Fox News earlier this month, the complaint reportedly lays out, he solicited donations on air while Fox added the graphics "John Kasich (R), KasichforOhio.com" under Mr. Kasich's image. The complaint says Kasich raised more than $21,000 from the solicitation.

Promoting Kasich's website while he was on air amounted to free political advertising, the DGA is arguing, which would be a violation of election laws. Fox also violated the rules by failing to provide a "paid for" disclaimer on its political advertisement, the DGA is charging.

"We talked to other networks and other networks told us they have policies against putting up campaign websites like Fox did," DGA's executive director Nathan Daschle told the Huffington Post. "This isn't accidental. It is part of a pattern of activities Fox has taken to elect Republicans."

While Fox is known largely for its conservative commentators, the network maintains its news is nonpartisan. However, its parent company News Corp. came under fire for giving $1 million to the Republican Governors Association. The DGA was able to exploit that incident to raise over $1 million of its own.

Daschle said its complaint to the Ohio Elections Commission is legitimate, but he acknowledged to the Huffington Post the financial benefit to portraying Fox as an adversary

"When Fox does this, our donors and a lot of new donors come to the DGA as a way to say, 'Keep fighting Fox'."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by hhandyman September 11, 2010 11:05 PM EDT: Fox should be required to register as a Republican based and bias to the Right (not necc correct or accurate) views with an extreamly liberal entertainment section. that is the ONLY way they could call that network balanced both ends of the balance scale loaded and almost nothing moderate.
its too bad they inflate both ends its breaking the nation in the Pivot the true balance point where our nation once was calm it finds places to cause inflameation via their bias commentators (true news is balanced not slanted spin pushing an agenda. CBS/ NBC / ABC are closer to news reporters with less personal opinion and more plain facts than FOX.
The lead commentator on Fox sunday even looks like Mitch McConnel the great NAY er just say NO to anything brought up for vote, Republican Minority Leader.; Reply to this comment


by payback108 September 9, 2010 12:15 PM EDT: Ha what about all the foreign money obozo grabed.; Reply to this comment


by payback108 September 9, 2010 12:15 PM EDT: Ha what about all the foreign money obozo grabed.; Reply to this comment


by RobAla September 9, 2010 12:15 PM EDT: Well, then the republicans should blast CNN, MSNBC, and CBS for giving Democrats free air time. All media outlets are bias, I just want them to be honest in their bias.; Reply to this comment


by dadirt September 9, 2010 12:14 PM EDT: Un believable. Everytime the not so big 5 put on a democratic candidate, they are throwing sofrballs, and advertising them, while when a republican gest on, they go for the throat, and try to make them look like liars. Their lopsided interviews are nothing but advertising to me, pushing the democratic adjenda. What is teh difference between fox giving advertising and the labor unions giving money to Democrats. The unions are getting federal monies, and in turn they are giving it to the dems, much like GM did. Of course we all know why this is a bid deal, it is a republican getting something supposidly for nothing, and a lying cheating democratic opponent cries fowl.; Reply to this comment


by tsigili September 3, 2010 11:33 AM EDT: The Dems can't stand the fact that Fox is owned by a business person, who favors the GOP.

Too bad Dems.....you can't control ALL of the media, all of the time, with your lies.; Reply to this comment

by RobAla September 3, 2010 7:09 AM EDT

Fox provides a balance for conservatives, because most of the other news outlets provide free airtime to liberals. All reporting contains bias, I just want them to be honest in their bias.

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by mgeg1 September 3, 2010 9:47 AM EDT: The difference is the bias with other journalists is subtle and usually unintended. They try to remain unbiased. Fox does not attempt to be unbiased. Worse, they will report things that they out-right know are not true. F@ck News Corp, they are ruining our national integrity.


by lucifersshadow September 2, 2010 10:48 PM EDT: It is suppose to be a privilege for news organizations to publicly broadcast on the air, and the news organizations should be required to provide equal opposing views, not support the views of the rich and famous. We the citizens deserve better then to be pumped full of BS by news organizations out of control.; Reply to this comment


by actornaught September 2, 2010 8:56 PM EDT: Fox isn't a news channel, no matter how much they spend on nice sets and busy screen crawls.

If you think you get "information" from entertainers at fox, you've been punked.; Reply to this comment

by Smokey75 September 2, 2010 5:24 PM EDT

How come none of liberals attack NBC as being biased? Oh thats right with likes of Bathtub Boy (Olberman), Madcow, Tingly Leg Matthews and Loud mouth Shultz they are democrat talking point central.

Liberals are for biased news media as long as the bias spouts their lies and propaganda. But I guess it is a good thing that only about 15% of the population is liberal. Other wise NBC might have better ratings then being dead last where as Fox is number one in the ratings. That?s what drives liberals nuts is the majority of America aren?t buying their garbage.

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by mgeg1 September 3, 2010 9:54 AM EDT: The difference is NBC pundits don't spread lies like little school girls. Fox News, to this day, claims Obama is a Muslim born outside of America, something they know for a fact to be untrue. Stupid people in our country buy that bs. Fox News is contributing to the dumbing of our nation.