Before a House hearing Wednesday on "Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in the Media," Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy wrote a letter responding to "disinformation" and "deliberately misleading" allegations by committee members.
"I want to respectfully address some disinformation circulated by members of this committee in a recent letter to pay-TV operators and streaming technology companies," Ruddy wrote to the chairs and ranking members of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. "Newsmax never called the breach of the Capitol 'a sort of romantic idea.'"
Ruddy was referencing the letter from Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., released Monday. That letter targeted conservative-leaning outlets such as Newsmax, Fox News, and OANN, and claimed, "As a violent mob was breaching the doors of the Capitol, Newsmax's coverage called the scene a 'sort of a romantic idea.'"
But the comment was made by a Newsmax guest and not a host, Ruddy's letter noted.
"The claim was made on Newsmax by a Touro College law professor and prominent liberal, Thane Rosenbaum, who was describing the rally before any violence or illegal activity had taken place at the Capitol," Ruddy wrote.
"The letter's assertion to the contrary is deliberately misleading and intended to contribute to a false narrative about Newsmax's balanced coverage of the election and events Jan. 6.
"In general, Newsmax reported fairly and accurately on allegations and claims made by both sides during the recent election contest. Newsmax called the election for President Joe Biden as soon as the states had certified their election results. Further, Newsmax forcefully and repeatedly used its airwaves to condemn the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6."
Ruddy's letter to the committees also provided myriad examples of Newsmax TV's Jan. 6 coverage of the storming of the Capitol, in which on-air talent said, "We condemn the violence" ("Greg Kelly Reports"); "We certainly don't condone" violence (Tom Basile on "America Right Now"); and "This is un-American, this is not what we do. We are better than this and we must denounce this" (Sean Spicer on "Spicer & Co.").
"As this committee — the oldest in Congress — proceeds with the important work of the Nation, I would respectfully ask that its Members recommit themselves to upholding the principle of freedom of the press embodied in the First Amendment," Ruddy's letter concluded.
The letter was addressed to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. It also went to House Communications and Technology Chairman Michael Doyle, D-Pa., and Ranking Member Robert Latta, R-Ohio.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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