The China Daily, a Chinese Communist Party-controlled outlet, has paid over $1 million to establishment outlets that support the Journalism Competition and Protection Act (JCPA).
Breitbart News has chronicled how the News Media Alliance, a trade association representing some of the most powerful media conglomerates, has showered Congress with millions in lobbying and donations in order to receive support for the JCPA.
Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) disclosures also detail how many of the newspapers that support the JCPA have received significant funds from China Daily, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s State Council Information Office.
FARA disclosures reveal that from May 2021 to April 2022, China Daily‘s expenditures total over $1 million to USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune.
The FARA disclosure for May 2021 to October 2021 reveals:
- USA Today received $57,500 in advertising expenses from China Daily
- Los Angeles Times received $375,207.20
- Chicago Tribune received $33,250
Between November 2021 and April 2022, USA Today received $230,000, the Los Angeles Times received $300,400, and Chicago Tribune received $29.505.99.
The Seattle Times, which has received $123,444.80 from China Daily, also supports the JCPA.
The China Daily paid the Boston Globe $147,164.36, as reported by the Daily Caller in 2020. The Globe also backs the JCPA.
Altogether, this amounts to more than $1 million that JCPA-supporting outlets have received from a Chinese Communist Party-owned outlet.
President Joe Biden meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
USA Today, which is owned by Gannett, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, which is owned by Tribune Publishing, all support the Journalism Competition and Protection Act.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee considers the legislation during a markup session on Thursday, a rapidly growing number of Senate Republicans oppose the legislation.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) confirmed to Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle that he will oppose the JCPA.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) confirmed to Boyle that he will oppose the JCPA, and a spokesman for Hawley relayed that he has long been skeptical of the plan to create an antitrust exemption for media outlets.
Breitbart News’s Allum Bokhari detailed how the JCPA’s defenders have often said that the bill will help suppress “misinformation.” This includes David Chavern, the president and CEO of the News Media Alliance, and Emilly Barr, CEO of the Graham Media Group, which also represents the establishment media.
Chavern wrote to lawmakers in March 2021 that “the cost of inaction, in terms of the spread of misinformation we are all experiencing, is simply too great to ignore any longer.”
This is why Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), who opposes the bill, said that conservatives considering voting for the bill should oppose it.
“Any conservative considering this bill should note that Jerry Nadler is a lead sponsor and cites ‘widespread misinformation’ as a rationale—in other words, they know this cartel will censor conservatives,” said Sen. Cotton.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
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