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U.S. SENATOR PATRICK
LEAHY
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CONTACT: Office of Senator
Leahy, 202-224-4242 |
VERMONT |
Senators Call For Investigation Into
Campaign Finance Violations By Sinclair Broadcasting Group
Senator Patrick Leahy has joined with 18 other Senators in sending a
letter to Michael Powell, Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission, to request an investigation of the Sinclair Broadcasting Group
for violations of campaign finance laws in the airing of “Stolen Honor:
Wounds That Never Heal.”
October 9, 2004
The Honorable Michael Powell
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Room 8-A204A
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Powell:
We write to express our concern over a recent LA Times article regarding
the planned preemption of regular station programming by the Sinclair
Broadcast Group in favor of an anti-Kerry attack ad expected to last
approximately 90 minutes, and to ask that you look into this matter to
determine whether it represents a proper use of public airwaves or if,
instead, it would violate fairness rules now in place.
The attached article alleges that Sinclair Broadcasting has ordered its
stations, including affiliates of Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, WB and UPN, to
preempt their regular programming and replace it with material prepared for
political use, shortly prior to the November 2 election. To allow a
broadcasting company to air such a blatantly partisan attack in lieu of
regular programming, and to classify that attack as “news programming” as
has been suggested, would violate the spirit, and we think the text, of
current law and regulation.
Additionally, while there is some indication that Senator Kerry may be
invited to a panel discussion following the airing of this “program” in
order to satisfy fairness regulations, it seems clear to us that any such
invitation would be merely a transparent attempt to circumvent the fine
print of the law and proceed with this partisan plan. Equal time rules
exist for a purpose - to prevent the airing of one-sided political content
without equal response time given to the opposing view or candidate. In
this case, it is impossible to imagine how the equal time rules would be
satisfied if this plan is allowed to go forward.
We urge you to investigate this matter immediately,
and would appreciate a response as to whether you will, in fact,
investigate these allegations.”
Sincerely,
Dianne Feinstein Ted Kennedy
Patrick Leahy Frank R. Lautenberg
Byron Dorgan Dick Durbin
Jack Reed Tim Johnson
Bill Nelson Harry Reid
Debbie Stabenow Carl Levin
Daniel Inouye Ron Wyden
Blanche Lincoln Bob Graham
Fritz Hollings
Patty Murray
Mark Pryor
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