Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows accused the Democrat-led House Oversight Committee of trying to embarrass Fox News by investigating why it did not publish a story on porn star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., has requested documents from former Fox News reporter Diana Falzone on her story about Daniels’ alleged 2005 relationship with President Trump. Falzone, who in May 2017 sued the network, is reportedly cooperating with the committee, despite a nondisclosure agreement reached in a settlement with Fox News.
Editor Ken LaCorte says he halted the story because it lacked corroborating evidence and because Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, denied the affair at the time.
“Your inquiry to Ms. Falzone about the editorial decisions of Fox News appears to depart from responsible and legitimate oversight,” Jordan and Meadows wrote in a letter to Cummings on Wednesday.
“In addition to raising questions about whether your inquiry to Ms. Falzone is a proper use of Committee resources, it also implicates serious matters relating to the First Amendment and freedom of the press,” the pair wrote.
A lengthy New Yorker article said that LaCorte quashed the story because “Rupert [Murdoch] wants Donald Trump to win.”
LaCoste denies he said that.
“The story wasn’t close to being publishable, and my decision to hold it was a no-brainer,” LaCorte wrote for Mediaite. “I didn’t do it to help Trump and never said nor implied otherwise. It was such an easy call that I never even informed my direct boss or anyone in management about it.”
Jordan and Meadows asked Cummings if the same standard would apply to a CNN or MSNBC story.
“We respectfully ask what you would do if a witness approached the Committee with information about CNN or MSNBC refusing to publish a news story due to a bias against the President. If such a witness came forward, would you be willing to seek documents and a transcribed interview with that individual?” the two Republicans asked.
