Thune Calls Sohn 'Poster Child for Bad Presidential Nominees'
Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., labeled FCC nominee Gigi Sohn Wednesday as potentially “the poster child for terrible presidential nominees,” citing what he considers deficiencies in her “character and fitness” for serving on the commission and her record as “a virulent and unapologetic partisan.” Public Knowledge and others sought to tie News Corp. to what they view as a smear campaign against Sohn. They cited News Corp. Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch’s acknowledgment in a recently released court deposition that several Fox News hosts spread disinformation about voter fraud after the 2020 presidential election.
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Thune noted during a floor speech a range of concerns about Sohn he and other Senate Commerce Committee Republicans voiced at her Feb. 14 confirmation hearing, including her criticisms of Fox News and other conservative media outlets and her contributions to Democratic senators' reelection campaigns (see 2302140077). “I cannot think of a less appropriate candidate” for an FCC seat, Thune said: “Instead of continuing to” press for Sohn’s confirmation, President Joe Biden “should nominate a qualified candidate who will do his or her job in a fair and impartial manner.”
Sohn “may not have intended to influence senators considering her nomination, but at the very least, her decision to donate to these senators while her nomination is before Congress gives the appearance of impropriety and raises serious questions about her judgment,” Thune said. American Accountability Foundation CEO Thomas Jones urged the Senate Ethics Committee Feb. 20 to launch an investigation of four Democrats -- Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Raphael Warnock of Georgia -- over “their acceptance” of donations from Sohn since her first nomination in 2021. Sohn in her prehearing questionnaire response lists donations totaling $725 to Warnock. Federal Election Commission records show she donated less than $200 each to Bennet, Cortez Masto, Fetterman and other Democratic senators.
“The Murdoch news empire’s relentless attacks” on Sohn “follow the same disinformation playbook” Fox News “used to endorse false election claims,” Public Knowledge, Color of Change and others tweeted Wednesday. PK and others referenced Murdoch’s deposition in Dominion Voting Systems’ lawsuit against News Corp. and Fox News for defamation over the network’s broadcasting of election fraud claims involving Dominion’s voting machines. Murdoch said “some of our commentators were endorsing” claims the election was stolen and “I would have liked us to be stronger in denouncing it, in hindsight.”
“If Senate Democrats don't stand firm and confirm" Sohn, "they'll be choosing Rupert Murdoch over their constituents, reproductive rights, LGBTQ groups, civil rights leaders, tribal leaders, etc etc etc,” tweeted Fight for the Future Director Evan Greer.
Color of Change and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights also wrote Senate Commerce Committee members Tuesday urging them against factoring negative claims about Sohn from Fox News and the Fraternal Order of Police in their decision on Sohn. “Acquiescing to falsehoods and fears disregards the needs of our people,” the groups said: “It is time to end the evasion of a fifth vote on a functional FCC.”