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 [1] 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 Climate Commons.

“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 America faces today is a biased media.  It is inexcusable and irresponsible for the federal government to give any of the American taxpayers’ dollars to a liberal media organization.”

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 [1]. 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 Soros-funded Center for Public Integrity [2], “all but $1.6 million of the $26.7 million in revenue it [Internews] reported in 2004 came from the federal government.”