The News Media Alliance, a trade association representing some of the most powerful media conglomerates, has flooded Congress with cash in lobbying and donations to advance the deceptively-named Journalism Competition and Protection Act (JCPA).
The Alliance and its allies in Congress have unveiled a new version of the JCPA that is “worse than the original,” according to Allum Bokhari, senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. Bokhari warns that the bill “would strengthen legacy media and punish anti-establishment outlets.”
NMA’s board includes executives from the New York Times, the Washington Post, Newscorp, Heart, and Gannett Co.
To advance the legislation, the association has spent millions lobbying and donating to lawmakers.
For instance, the News Media Alliance spent $831,060 towards lobbying in 2022, hired 26 lobbyists to advance the bill, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire lobbying firms, including Invariant LLC, Williams & Jensen, Fierce Government Relations, and Platinum Advisors DC.
The trade association for the legacy media has long spent significant sums of money to advance the bill. In 2020 alone, the organization spent $1,656,298 and hired 15 lobbyists to promote the bill.
All in all, the organization spent over $2.5 million trying to push the JCPA forward.
The News Media Alliance’s influence in Congress also extends to political donations to those who support and lead on the bill.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), a member of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee and a key proponent of the bill, has received $1,500 during the 2022 midterm election cycle.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), another supporter of the JCPA, received $3,000 from the News Media Alliance PAC.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) received $1,000 from the News Media Alliance in 2019.
Hawley’s office confirmed to Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle that he opposes the JCPA. Phil Letsou, Hawley’s spokesman, said he has been skeptical of the proposal and opposes antitrust exemptions such as the one that the JCPA would create for news media outlets.
The News Media Alliance’s donations also extend to the 2020 cycle, including:
- $500 to Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA)
- $1,000 to Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)
- $2,700 to Rep. Nadler
- $1,000 to Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) Grassley Committee
- $1,500 Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) Team Graham
As many have benefitted from their support of the JCPA, many conservatives have opposed the legislation, believing it would create a media cartel that would only benefit the largest and most powerful media groups.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called the JCPA the “antithesis of conservativism. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-OH) said it would suppress competition.
A growing number of Senate conservatives have opposed the bill, such as Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Mike Lee (R-UT).
On Tuesday, Cotton said every conservative should oppose the JCPA. He said that Nadler cited “widespread misinformation” as a rationale to support the group.
“In other words, they know this cartel will censor conservatives,” Cotton contended.
He continued, “Of all the problems we have today with inflation, high gas prices, and a wage decline, why should Republicans focus on a bailout for the media and big tech? This bill will help massive corporations–it is NOT limited to small, local broadcasters.”
“Biden said that Trump supporters are extremists. Then more evidence exposed the WH worked with Facebook to censor conservatives,” Blackburn said in a statement on Tuesday. “We can’t allow the Dems to pass the Journalism Competition and Protection Act, which allows the liberal media and Big Tech to silence conservatives.”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.