WatchdogThe t h e m r c ’ s m o n t h l y m e m b e r s ’ r e p o r t CREATING A MEDIA CULTURE IN AMERICA WHERE TRUTH AND LIBERTY FLOURISH Vol. 21 • Issue 4 • April 2014 BIGGER THAN WATERGATE But This Time It’s the Liberal Media, Not Nixon, Covering Up The liberal media love to invoke News-22-seconds fact and Megyn Kelly MRC Headquarters • Reston, VA Watergate as a shining example of why was stunned. “Wow. That’s unbeliev- journalism is important: to hold the able, Brent. I mean, that is literally government accountable. That clearly unbelievable. Is that documented?” she happened with the media’s pursuit of said. As I told her, yes, it’s document- Nixon, a man liberals hated. ed. It’s what we do. We’re America’s INSIDE But when it comes to the IRS-Tea media watchdog. Party scandal, where conservative With that in mind, let’s look at some Americans were denied of the other startling PAGE 3 — and continue to be facts about IRS-gate 30 Journalists Pass denied! — their right to that the left-wing me- Through Revolving Door fully participate in the dia are either spinning to Work for Obama political process during or censoring. two election cycles, the When the scandal liberal media are silent. broke publicly in May PAGES 4-5 There are no Wood- 2013, revealing that BITS & PIECES: What Election? ward and Bernsteins on the IRS had delayed, Censoring Scientists, the left digging up the The IRS-Tea Party scandal is much since at least 2010, Nets Spin Pope, truth. Instead, the lib- bigger than Watergate in its scope approval of many Tea What Tea Party?, eral media are burying and abuse of power but the liberal Party groups’ tax-ex- Chevron Wins – Shh! the truth. media are doing all they can to emption status applica- Consider this shock- not report on it, to cover it up, to tions, President Barack censor the truth. ing point: Since last Obama held a press PAGE 6 June 26, ABC has given the IRS scan- conference to denounce the “miscon- Nationally Syndicated dal a total of 22 seconds of coverage. duct,” which he labeled “inexcusable” Column by That’s it. Less time than a Geico com- and an “outrage.” L. Brent Bozell III mercial. In addition, as this newsletter “We’re going to hold the responsible and Tim Graham: goes to press, NBC and CBS had last parties accountable,” Obama declared. Joe Biden, The Media’s Secret Quayle reported on IRS-gate on Feb. 3, more Yet, when interviewed in February this than two months ago. year, Obama claimed that a few IRS em- Those are only two examples of the ployees had made “some bone-headed PAGE 7 liberal media bias we document, expose, decisions” and that there was “not even MRC in the News and neutralize every day. Here at the a smidgen of corruption” in relation to MRC, our experts have focused on IRS- the IRS’s targeting of Tea Party groups. PAGE 8 gate with our Bias Alerts, press releases, It is amazing the lies this man can NewsBusters blog, MRCTV, Business & tell with a straight face. media research center StrategicAMERICA’S MEDIA WATCHDOG Planning Media Institute, nationally syndicated Neither ABC, CBS, nor NBC reported and Financial Savvy columns, CNSNews.com, Facebook, Twit- Obama’s absurd claim. The president ter, MRC Action, and regular radio and knows the liberal media will cover for television appearances. him, which explains why he says what- Recently, during an interview on ever he wants about IRS-gate, or even media research center AMERICA’S MEDIA WATCHDOG Fox’s The Kelly File I revealed the ABC Continued on page 2 The 2 Watchdog APRIIL 2014 Continued from page 1 about Obamacare. (You lapse that Issa called “a can keep your doctor, deliberate attempt to remember?) obfuscate your involve- The same holds true ment in this matter or for the IRS employees at gross incompetence on the heart of the scandal. your part.” Neither Lois Lerner was in charge ABC, CBS, nor NBC said of the tax-exemption a word. office that oversaw the Tea Party Issa’s committee discovered applications. Last May she pleaded The IRS scandal is bigger in January that the Justice the 5th against self-incrimination Department official supposedly when questioned by the Republi- than Watergate. investigating IRS-gate is Barbara can-led House Oversight Commit- People today are scared to Kay Bosserman, who is — ready? tee. On March 5, 2014, she did it — a financial donor to Obama again, taking the 5th nine times. death that if they criticize and the Democratic National The committee chairman even this president, they will be Committee. Again, ABC, CBS, and asked Lerner if she agreed with NBC have not reported this blatant Obama that there was “not even a targeted and they will be conflict of interest. smidgen of corruption” at the IRS ruined by the IRS. Meanwhile, MSNBC’s Al Sharpton — and she pleaded the 5th again. It is already happening. claims the IRS scandal is “phony” Although Lerner refused to and that the House Oversight answer any questions about the The IRS scandal will Committee has “turned up nothing, IRS-Tea Party scandal, the CBS no wrongdoing.” Evening News and ABC World News not go away. I predict That’s a lie, and it’s broadcast reported nothing on the hearing indictments. And we will on MSNBC. Over at ABC, CBS, and — not a word. NBC Nightly News NBC they don’t have to lie — they also largely ignored Lerner’s non- be all over it. just don’t report anything that cooperation. The liberal media, could hurt Obama or reveal the In not reporting on the hearing, truth about the IRS case. the CBS Evening News continued meanwhile, are protecting The IRS scandal is bigger than its blackout of the scandal; its last the administration, they Watergate. People today are mention of the matter was on Feb. scared to death that if they criti- 3. For ABC, its last reporting on won’t hold it accountable. cize this president, they will be the case was Nov. 27, 2013, more That’s why the work we targeted and they will be ruined than 130 days ago. That’s not just do is so vital. by the IRS. It is already happening. bias. That’s censorship. The IRS scandal will not go Lerner is at the center of the away. I predict indictments. And Tea Party case, she pleads the 5th, we will be all over it. and the liberal media say there’s no “false or misleading” statements The liberal media, meanwhile, scandal. In fact, they just drop it. in 2012 about the IRS scandal. are protecting the administration, Picking up where NBC’s The report also charged that they won’t hold it accountable. Williams left off, NBC Today Lerner “was extensively involved That’s why the work we do is so reporter Natalie Morales in targeting conservative-oriented vital. Every day, we document, proclaimed on Mar. 6, “Well, tax-exempt applicants for inap- expose, and neutralize the leftist after a shouting match on Capitol propriate scrutiny,” and that she media’s agenda. We hold them Hill ... [the] probe of alleged IRS obstructed the committee’s inves- accountable. abuses may have hit a dead end.” tigation. You can help us fight liberal CBS This Morning’s Charlie Rose Not one of the network news media bias and get the truth to repeated the party line, declaring, shows did a story on the commit- the public. Call today to learn how “A congressional investigation into tee’s report. you can support our mission. I the IRS may be stalled this morn- Back in December, the com- look forward to hearing from you. ing because of partisan bickering.” mittee had the IRS Chief Counsel Sincerely, Besides the hearing, the Over- William Wilkins, one of only two sight Committee released a 141- Obama appointees to the IRS, page report on Mar. 11, asserting testify. Under questioning, Wilkins L. Brent Bozell III that Lerner had made several said “I don’t recall” 80 times, a Founder and President APRIL 2014 3 JOURNALISTS Skewed News? 30 Liberal Journalists Pass Through Revolving Door to Work for Obama Liberals in the media like to claim there is no left-wing bias in their news coverage, but if their worldview is Alinsky-like to begin with, that’s often how they see and report things. Moreover, it explains why so many of them end up working for left-wing politicians or leftist organizations and, when they finish their “public service,” they go right back to their biased news rooms. A new Media Reality Check by MRC Vice President Brent Baker shows that at least 30 news reporters now work for the Obama administration or had worked in the administration and are now back toiling in a liberal media outlet. The two most recent revolving-door liberals are Ronan Farrow, a former State Department “Youth” adviser who now has his own show on MSNBC, and Joy-Ann Reid, a former Obama campaign aide who also was given a show on MSNBC. Below are a selection from the 30 revolving-door Obama-tons/journalists. David Axelrod: Chicago Tribune secretary of State Department’s reporter late 1970s-1984; chief bureau of public affairs 2013 --. strategist for Obama campaign Glen Johnson: 2007-08; senior adviser to President Former politics Obama 2009-11; senior political editor for the analyst for MSNBC 2013 --.