Title: The White House Urges Fox News to Correct Bribery Allegations Against President Biden: A Letter of Concern
In recent developments, the White House has officially requested Fox News to reconsider its coverage and rectify the bribery and corruption allegations against President Joe Biden that have been disseminated on the network over the past year. This appeal comes in light of the fact that the former FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, who was the initial source of these allegations, has been charged by federal authorities for fabricating the story.
Ian Sams, a top White House spokesperson, penned a letter to Fox News’ top executives, including CEO Suzanne Scott, President Jay Wallace, and Washington bureau chief Bryan Boughton. In this letter, which has not been previously reported in the media, Sams expressed concern over Fox News’ reluctance to retract or correct its reporting on these false allegations.
Despite Smirnov’s indictment, Fox News has not taken any significant steps to rectify the situation. Sams’ letter further highlights that over the last year, Fox News hosts have frequently promoted these serious corruption claims against the Biden administration, which have permeated conservative information spaces and influenced Republican-led probes on Capitol Hill.
The White House has become increasingly assertive in addressing news coverage it deems unfair to the administration, especially with the upcoming November elections. Earlier this month, Sams also protested coverage of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified material in a letter to the White House Correspondents’ Association.
Sams specifically called out Fox News hosts Jesse Watters and Sean Hannity, who have persistently promoted these allegations on primetime television. Despite Smirnov’s recent indictment, both hosts have refused to acknowledge their role in spreading false information and instead continue to push the narrative.
Moreover, Fox News’ supposedly non-partisan news Website has also failed to update its reporting on this issue. Articles by reporter Brooke Singman advancing Smirnov’s false bribery allegations remain unaltered without any correction or mention of Smirnov’s indictment.
Credible news organizations would not behave in such a manner. However, Fox News has a well-established history of disregarding the truth and propagating disinformation and conspiracy theories that cater to their conservative audience. Last year, the network paid a record-breaking $787.5 million defamation settlement to Dominion Voting Systems for the lies it spread about the 2020 election.
Given the gravity of the situation and Fox News’ disregard for the truth, the White House is now taking formal action to request corrections. Sams wrote in his letter that all Fox News Digital articles on this topic should be updated with editor’s notes, while Fox News Channel television personalities like Hannity and Watters should inform their viewers of the discredited allegation’s origins.
However, a person familiar with the matter stated that Fox News has no intention of correcting or retracting its reporting. The network’s response to the White House’s request was not directly addressed in a statement it provided to CNN. Instead, Fox News claimed that it has reported on all key developments related to Smirnov’s indictment and will continue to do so as investigations, hearings, and trials unfold.
