Empire State Today

Fox News and two other cable news channels are under fire from House Democrats as they try to get them removed from their platforms for spreading misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 election.

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) reached out to 12 cable satellite and streaming companies asking them to help prevent the spread of misleading information.

Both lawmakers claimed that Fox News, Newsmax and OAN, otherwise known as One America News, have been spreading lies about COVID-19 and the November 2020 presidential elections. And they are asking news outlet carriers why they are not doing anything to prevent that.

Both representatives have sent the carriers a list of questions which they demand to be answered by March 8. Some of the questions the representatives asked the carriers are what moral or ethical principles they apply when they are screening news companies for their platform. They also asked the carriers how many subscribers are tuned into their networks and how many viewers were watching the news outlets in question during and before the 2020 presidential election. They also asked the carriers if they held any of the news outlets accountable for the Capitol riots that occurred on Jan. 6.

The news outlets in question have sent their spokespersons to comment on the Democratic lawmakers' queries.

Fox’s spokesperson told The Epoch Times that targeting them and asking their carrier if they will keep on providing them a platform to deliver the news “sets a terrible precedent.”

Newsmax’s spokesperson also communicated with The Epoch Times and said that the House Democrats “attack on free speech” should worry everyone. The spokesperson also said that Newsmax always tried to be fair in their reporting and delivered news that was accurate and true.