Executives across Rupert Murdoch’s media empire have been opening up their checkbooks for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, according to his campaign’s latest financial disclosure form.
In less than 15 months, the moderate Democrat senator is expected to face a serious challenge at the polls from either Republican Gov. Jim Justice or Republican Rep. Alex Mooney.
A poll released in May showed Manchin, a Democrat representing a bright red state, trailed Justice by more than 20 points.
The seat in question could decide which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.
According to Manchin’s July Federal Election Committee filing, a number of Fox Corp. and Fox News executives appear to be all-in on helping him and Democrats retain the seat.
The Intercept pored over the filing and noted thousands of dollars from Murdoch’s employees have gone to Manchin.
Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy for example reports gave Machine $3,300 during the month of May.
A Fox network executive named Stephen Brown also gave Manchin, a frequent Fox News guest, $3,300.
Michael Mulvihill, the network’s president of insights and analysts, gave West Virginia’s Democratic senator $1,500.
Do you believe Fox is still a conservative company?
Yes: 0% (0 Votes)
No: 100% (5 Votes)
Fernando Szew, the company’s Entertainment Global CEO gave Manchin an even $1,000.
Two additional company executives were much more generous, the records appear to show.
Fox senior vice president for digital policy and strategy Adrian Farley Jamie Gillespie and Fox executive vice president of government relations Jamie Gillespie each gave the senator $6,600 of their cash.
Much of Fox Corp.’s legal team also opened up its checkbooks to the Democrat.
Company attorneys Elizabeth Casey, Joe Di Scipio, Tim Lykowski, Adam Reiss and Chris Reed all reportedly donated to Manchin — as did Viet Dinh, the company’s recently sidelined chief counsel.
In all, attorneys who work under the Fox umbrella gave Manchin a total of $11,350 for a campaign that could help Democrats retain the Senate if it is successful.
The company’s political action committee itself also cut Manchin a generous check of $8,500, per the FEC filing.
The Fox Corp. Political Action Committee made two separate donations to Manchin on May 15, 2023. One donation was for $5,000 while the other was for $3,500.
From April to June 2023, the Democratic senator received tens of thousands of dollars from Fox executives and lawyers. https://t.co/DurunXshUb
— The Intercept (@theintercept) August 18, 2023
Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti defended the donations in a brief email when probed about them by the Intercept.
“FOXPAC supports candidates on both sides of the aisle,” she said.
The revelation that Fox Corp. executives are giving big money to Manchin’s campaign comes on the heels of a report that Fox News matches employee donations to a number of left-wing groups and causes, including the Satanic Temple.
