Rep. Smith Challenges Government Over Giving $364 Million to Liberal Group
Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have be paid to a liberal journalism group, and the agencies responsible don’t seem to want to talk about it. But some in Congress aren’t afraid of the issue. Rep Lamar Smith, R-Texas, addressed the issue on the floor of the House of Representatives on Jan. 13, asking his fellow members of Congress why taxpayers were “subsidizing a liberal news outlet.”
Internews
is a liberal journalism nonprofit that has gotten more than $364 million from
the U.S. government in the past 10 years, as well as $1.7 million from liberal
billionaire George Soros. It has also
founded three liberal journalism outfits: Link TV, the Earth Journalism Network
and
“Mr. Speaker, since 2002, over $362 million dollars in government grants have gone to fund a liberal news organization by the name of Internews,” Rep. Smith said.
“The Business and Media Institute describes Internews as a liberal journalism nonprofit and states that not only does it push a liberal agenda but it also has helped create at least three other liberal organizations.
“Why are taxpayers’ dollars subsidizing a liberal news outlet? This is a misuse of the public’s money. People need unbiased information so that they can form their own opinions and make educated decisions.
“One of the greatest challenges a democratic
Rep. Smith earlier told the Business and Media Institute that such funding was “inexcusable and irresponsible.”
The amount of government funding going to Internews is staggering.
In 2011 alone, it received $52,350,784 in government grants, according to its
990 tax forms. This makes up 92.4 percent of the $56,644,153 in total reported
revenue for that year. And 2011 wasn’t unusual. According to the
— Mike Ciandella is Research Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Mike Ciandella on Twitter.
