Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, it seems that Fox News executives have been opening their checkbooks for none other than Democrat Senator Joe Manchin. Yes, you heard that right – the same Joe Manchin who frequently graces the screens of Fox News, criticizing his own Democratic colleagues. It seems that Manchin has finally captured the hearts (and wallets) of the top brass at Fox, as evidenced by their recent flood of donations.
Fox News is FAKE NEWS. https://t.co/ixxtGW1TOA
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) August 15, 2023
According to financial disclosure records, Manchin has been raking in the dough from Fox executives and lawyers, with tens of thousands of dollars pouring in between April and June. This comes as a shock, considering the last time he received any donations from Fox employees was back in 2018 when James Murdoch, son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, made a contribution. It seems that old habits die hard, as Fox’s political action committee also threw some cash Manchin’s way this spring.
Not only are the bigwigs at Fox getting in on the action, but executives from various levels of the company are also digging deep into their pockets. Jack Abernethy, the head of Fox Television Stations, donated a cool $3,300, while Stephen Brown, another Fox TV executive, matched that amount. Even Michael Mulvihill, the leader of insights and analytics at Fox Sports, chimed in with $1,500.
The list doesn’t stop there – Fernando Szew, the chief of Fox Entertainment Global, generously gave $1,000, while Adrian Farley, Fox’s digital policy and strategy lead, went all out with a whopping $6,600 donation. And let’s not forget Jamie Gillespie, who oversees government relations at Fox Corporation, matching Farley’s generous contribution. But it’s not just the executives, a group of Fox lawyers also chipped in a collective $11,350 for Manchin’s campaign.
Now, it’s not surprising that people from the same industry and wealthy circles want to support a reliable and familiar face like Manchin. After all, the world of rich and influential people in this country is pretty small. But should we really be celebrating a Republican-leaning news network cozying up to a Democratic senator? It’s a strange world we’re living in, folks.
But wait, there’s more! It seems that Manchin is not averse to shaking things up in Washington. Just last week, he mentioned that he’s seriously thinking about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. The reason? He’s not a fan of the “D” and “R” brands and feels that his voice would be more independent if he made the switch. While it’s understandable that Manchin is fed up with the dysfunction in Washington, is this really the solution? We need strong voices within the parties, not more independents who can’t make up their minds!
If Manchin were to make the leap to independence, it would be a huge blow to the already slim Democratic majority in the Senate. His votes have often been the deciding factor in key legislative battles, and his departure would undoubtedly shake up the balance of power. Plus, it seems his flirtation with a third-party presidential bid is not completely out of the question. Just when you think politics couldn’t get any more confusing, Manchin drops these bombshells.
Now, some might argue that Manchin’s potential departure could be a good thing for President Biden, but let’s not kid ourselves. Manchin’s moves are all about self-interest and maintaining his personal brand as a so-called maverick. He claims to speak for both sides, but we all know that’s just political posturing. At the end of the day, Manchin is looking out for Manchin.
So here we are, in a world where Fox News executives are cozying up to a Democratic senator, and said senator is toying with the idea of leaving his party and going independent. It’s a topsy-turvy political landscape, my friends, and it’s hard to keep up. Hold on tight, because it looks like things are about to get even crazier.
