2018 Governor’s Race Playbook - Will Democrats Buy Sinclair? May 14, 2018
Monday, May 14, 2018
Will Democratic candidates for governor buy ads on ultra-conservative Sinclair Broadcasting's Providence affiliate?
Governor Gina Raimondo's campaign said Sunday night she is likely to send dollars over to the controversial conservative media group.
But, one of her top Democratic challengers -- Matt Brown -- refused to answer if they will spend on Sinclair’s WJAR. Brown, who is claiming to be running to the left of Raimondo, would not comment.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"We haven't finalized the plan but I would imagine NBC10 will be included," said David Ortiz, spokesperson for the Raimondo campaign.
SEE THE WINS, LOSES, AND X-FACTORS OF THE WEEK BELOW
Democrats across the country have ripped Sinclair Broadcasting for its strong pro-Trump news promotions, its close ties to the Trump administration, and the implications of Sinclair’s purchase of Tribune’s TV stations.
In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), RI’s Democratic Congressman David Cicilline called on the agency to block the $3.9 billion merger between Sinclair and Tribune. He cited, “In one case, Sinclair provided scripts to local station anchors asking, "Did the FBI have a personal vendetta in pursuing the Russian investigation against President Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn?"
"Sinclair provides stations with so-called 'must-run' segments that include video op-eds from Sinclair executive Mark Hyman and political analyst Boris Epshteyn. Epshteyn, who joined Sinclair in April, was a senior adviser to Trump's presidential campaign and once claimed Obama won North Carolina because of voter fraud. Some local stations have protested by airing these must-run segments during pre-dawn times of very low viewership,” added Cicilline.
Related Slideshow: 2018 Governor’s Race Playbook - May 14, 2018
Related Articles
- RI Loses 200 Jobs in January, Fung Blasts Raimondo’s Performance
- RI GOP Files Federal Elections Complaint Over Raimondo-Providence Dems Fundraising Agreement
- VIDEO: WJAR Anchors Read Pro-Trump Sinclair Script About “Fake News”
- VIDEO: Raimondo on State of RI Roads in Tuesday’s Storm
- UPDATED: WJAR-10/Sinclair Controversy Blows Up — Morning Joe Criticizes and Trump Defends Co.
- Who Controls Local News Has More Control Than Anyone Else, Says RIC’s Israel on Sinclair Controversy
- GoLocal Story On WJAR’s Parent Co. Sparks Dispute Between Sinclair, Politico - They Blame Kushner
- Gov. Candidate Brown Runs as Progressive—Took Hundreds of Thousands from RI’s Wealthiest
- WJAR’s Parent Company Sinclair is Big Winner In Trump Administration FCC Reg Rollback
- Matt Brown Made Nearly $300K for Financially Fledgling Non-Profit with $2M Budget
- Raimondo Says Armed School Resource Officers Should Be Determined by Communities
- Raimondo Criticizes National Grid Storm Response, Company Responds
- Raimondo Announces 4th Annual Governor for a Day Essay Contest
- Sinclair’s Nationalization of Local News is “Big Problem,” Says Leading Media Strategist Brown
- NEW: Former Sec. of State Brown to Run for Governor as Democrat
- Raimondo Invested in Funds That Owned Gun Company Stocks While Treasurer
- EDITORIAL: Raimondo Denial of Ties to NRA Money - “We Call BS”
- 65% of RIers Support Raimondo’s $250M Bond, Says Bryant’s Hassenfeld Institute Poll
- NEW: RI GOP Blasts Ethics Commission for “Making Excuses for Raimondo”
- VIDEO: Raimondo Doubles-Down on Denying Gun-Lobby Money, Despite Repeated Donations
- Raimondo’s Proposed $18M Developmental Disabilities Cut Draws Rebuke from Trudeau Center’s Sullivan
- Raimondo’s Proposed Medicaid Cuts Would be Devastating, Says Neighborhood Health Plan’s Marino
- UPDATED: Save The Bay Files Complaint Against Raimondo on CRMC Appointees
- Raimondo Picks & Chooses Jobs Numbers - Claims Improvement As RI Loses 500 Jobs
- Raimondo Raised a Record $1.3 million in Q1
- Governor Raimondo Joins GoLocal LIVE in Newport to Talk Volvo Ocean Race
- RI’s Top Early Education Ranking & School Construction Needs: Raimondo Staffer Gallagher on LIVE
- Raimondo Has Strong Connection to Key Judge in Trump-Cohen Case
- Elder Home Care Advocate Blasts Raimondo on Budget Cuts
- Raimondo’s Proposed Level-Funding of DCYF Not Adequate, Says Children’s Friend CEO
- POLL: Raimondo is the 7th Least Popular Governor in America — 50% Disapprove
- Who is Responsible for RI’s Economic Recovery - Trump or Raimondo?
- Democratic Governors Assn Blasts Fung, Morgan for Failing to Speak Out on Harassment
- LIVE: GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Morgan Questions “Where Fung Stands” on LIVE
- Fung and Morgan Refuse to Condemn Alleged Sexual Harassment By President of RI Young Republicans
- Fung Raises Over $175K in 4th Quarter of 2017
- Fung is Back — Announces 2018 Run for Governor
- Morgan Out Raises Fung for Quarter in GOP Battle, He Has More Cash on Hand
- VIDEO: Fung Blasts Raimondo’s State of the State Speech
- VIDEO: Cranston’s Fung Says “Stay Off Roads” on LIVE During Storm
- Fung Announces City & Town Campaign Chairs
- Fung on Economic Plan, Marijuana, PawSox, and More on LIVE
- Wednesday on GoLocal LIVE - The Taste and Mayor Allan Fung
- Fung’s Campaign Town Chair Chippendale Calls Parkland High School Student a “Dummy”
- Fung Campaign Raises Over $191K in Fundraising for Quarter 1
- NEW: Morgan Raised $101K, Trails Fung by $90K for the Quarter
- Trillo Fires Back at Fung “Minions”
- Whitcomb: Buying Up Bankrupt Colleges; Facebook vs. Reality; Fung in Fiscal Fantasy?
- Fung Campaign Names Augustus Press Secretary
- Morgan Supports Trump’s Citizenship Question on Census—Fung Refuses Comment
- Warwick Republican City Committee Endorses Fung for Governor
- Gubernatorial Candidate Fung Releases Economic Policy Plan
- Rep. Morgan Receives Friend of Government Accountability Award
- LIVE: Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan Healthcare Shakeup: “Nonprofit” is Key, Says Fine
- “Corruption, Hostile Business Climate, Poor Education” - RI House GOP Leader Morgan’s State of State
- Morgan Who Took RISP Cruiser Charged with 6 Counts and 2 Others Charged for Harboring
- Morgan Attending White House Meeting on Tax Reform on Thursday
- GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Morgan Says Tax Reform “Float All Boats”
- Morgan Questions Effectiveness of RIDOT Spending for Providence Viaduct Bridge
- Morgan Calls on Kilmartin to Use Remaining Google Funds to Secure Schools
- “Retire in RI” - Morgan on RI House GOP Agenda on LIVE
- Architectural Critic Will Morgan: The New Un-Improved Tower
- Grace Church - One of Prov’s Great Architectural Treasures: Architectural Critic Will Morgan
- LIVE: Morgan Promises to End Tolls in “Blueprint for a Stronger Rhode Island”
- Architectural Critic Will Morgan: How We Look
- Rep. Morgan Demands Kilmartin Release Google Funds for School Safety
- Sen. Morgan to Host Workshop on Stopping Sexploitation