Yesterday, we learned that Fox News is suing Robin Carnahan over her campaign's use of a small clip in one of her ads.
In the ad, Wallace addresses Blunt and says, "You just said a moment ago that you have to show that you’re the party of reform but some question whether you are the man to do that. In 2002, you tried to insert language into the Homeland Security Act to help Phillip Morris tobacco [company] while you were dating that company’s lobbyist. And your campaign committee’s paid $485,000 to a firm linked to lobbyist Jack Abramoff."
The reason that Fox stated in its suit is that this clip -- from 2006, which doesn't mention Carnahan at all -- could be mistaken for a Fox endorsement of Robin Carnahan's Senate run.
That seems ridiculous enough on the face of it, and the length of the clip the campaign used clearly falls within fair use. So what's the real reason that Fox is hot under the collar? Could it be that Fox has already made their endorsement in the form of cash?
Carnahan's allies also point to just under $10,000 in campaign donations that Blunt has received from the political action committee of News Corp., which owns Fox News.
Let's review. First Fox asks Roy Blunt about all the favors he's done for people who gave him money. Then Fox News gives him money. All I can say is, they must have liked his answers.
"Investing" in Roy Blunt has really paid off for lobbyists in the past, and Fox is doing everything they can to protect their spot at the front of the line this time around. Of course, there's one way to devalue Fox's investment -- elect Robin Carnahan.