Federal Court Document Charges Fox News with Running Planted News Stories
Plaintiffs' lead attorney, R. Tamara de Silva filed a memorandum in Federal Court against Fox News defendants and Fox Television Stations charging that Fox News and 'investigative' reporter Dane Placko agreed to be a mouthpiece for Cook County Board of Review officials including new Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, in exchange for, "being handed a sensationalized... planted, 'investigative' story."
Memorandum states that Board of Review officials, "who were apparently being investigated...used Fox as a pigeon to divert attention away from themselves-creating a smokescreen" and generate false media stories disguised as investigative journalism, carried by Fox at the expense of various Cook County property owners.
"I cannot comment on the specifics of the case beyond what is written in today's filing but if these allegations prove to be true, this is both an explosive abuse of power and proof that certain media outlets' "investigative" reporting is nothing more than sensationalized tabloid journalism in unconscionable disregard for the truth. A free, independent and objective press is the cornerstone of our democracy, when that independence and objectivity is compromised or co-opted, for ratings and viewers, the rights our Founding Fathers envisioned, and for which they fought, are in put in jeopardy." R. Tamara de Silva
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