Former US President Donald Trump has been indicted by a criminal court in New York City for his alleged involvement in corruption. The charges against him are stemming from a convoluted legal theory investigated and rejected by various organizations, including the DOJ, Mueller investigation, FEC, and Bragg’s predecessor. This indictment has caused a stir in newsrooms across the country, setting a historic course for the nation. The New York Times broke the news about Trump’s indictment, which has now become the center of attention for almost all media outlets.
Fox News and other outlets under Rupert Murdoch’s empire pivot to defend Trump
Fox News, owned by Rupert Murdoch, is typically known for its support of President Trump. However, after the news of his indictment broke out, Fox News quickly pivoted to defending Trump against charges of corruption. The network allowed outspoken pro-Trump rhetoric to dominate its shows and aired extreme rhetoric accusing the legal system of being a “deep state,” corrupt force targeting conservatives for political reasons. Other outlets under Murdoch’s empire, such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post, also defended Trump and accused prosecutors of political bias.
Murdoch’s personal views are known to be reflected in The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, which labeled Trump’s indictment as a “sad day for the country” and suggested that it was motivated by politics. The New York Post featured several articles claiming that the prosecutor in the case had a “bad case of bias.” The Dominion Voting Systems’ case against Fox News revealed that network leaders were concerned about losing their audience over scrutinizing Trump, suggesting that Murdoch may be protecting his bottom line rather than reporting unbiased news.
Hannity criticizes Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
Conservative commentator Sean Hannity criticized Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg over bringing charges against Trump using a novel legal theory to criminalize a nondisclosure agreement from seven years ago. Hannity believes that this is a political hit job and a weaponized justice system that brings the criminalization of political differences to a new level. He criticized Bragg for throwing the rule of law to the wind and bringing petty and weak charges, which no fair, honest or honorable DA would ever bring. The charges against Trump may include as many as 34 counts, but the exact charges are not yet known.
The reactions of media outlets to Trump’s indictment
The reactions from media outlets have been mixed, with both conservative and liberal outlets offering different takes on the situation. Some conservative outlets are echoing Fox News and defending Trump against charges of corruption. On the other hand, liberal media outlets are criticizing Trump for his wrongdoings while in office.
Ann Telnaes depicts Trump as a classic 1930s criminal, correctly showing his orange makeup ends at his jawline and does not include the area around his eyes. David Rowe’s cartoon shows a more hearty appetite for ridicule from Australia towards Trump’s indictment. Jeff Danziger criticizes Fox News for going into extended denial mode instead of extended coverage of the indictment, which he considers a blow to journalistic integrity.
Luckovich’s cartoon is a juxtaposition with Wuerker’s piece, laying out the two paths of commentary we can expect to see regarding Trump’s indictment. Denial of Trump’s indictment and self-flattering denial is central to the theory of the Big Lie, as stated by Hitler. Attempts to persuade the MAGA faithful of the truth will be condemned and dismissed as part of a plot on the part of the Deep State Enemy.
Chip Bok’s cartoon shows DA Alvin Bragg as a dishonest prosecutor who is not only going after Trump for political reasons but also sees good, conservative Americans as the enemy to be hunted down. Eric Allie’s cartoon accuses the press of being in league with corrupt law enforcement and attacking the GOP over the murder of small children instead of going after non-Christians of non-standard sexual identity. Kirk Walters resurrects the old IRS budget increase canard to accuse Joe Biden of targeting his political enemies with audits, perpetuating the myth that taxpayer funds were used for the FDIC bank bailout.
Even Ron DeSantis, Trump’s foremost rival for the 2024 presidential nomination, is vowing to refuse to extradite him to New York to face the charges. We can expect to see a lot of solidarity, distraction, denial, and outright falsification from those who once stood for “law and order” but have since adopted QAnon beliefs and situational morality.
In conclusion, Donald Trump’s indictment has caused a massive stir in newsrooms across America, with different media outlets taking opposing sides on the issue. The reactions from media outlets under Rupert Murdoch’s empire have been particularly noteworthy as they have chosen to defend Trump against charges of corruption. Meanwhile, conservative commentator Sean Hannity has criticized Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg for bringing weak charges against Trump. Overall, the indictment of a former president is a momentous occasion, and its ramifications will surely continue to play out in coming weeks and months.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
