Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) reelection campaign was boosted by Fox Corporation executives, according to recently released FEC documents.
Collectively, executives have reportedly invested tens of thousands to back Manchin. Among the Democrats, Manchin, who appears on the network often, stands out by cautioning against the federal deficit and Biden’s spending plans.
Fox Executives Are Pouring Cash Into Joe Manchin’s Campaignhttps://t.co/cufovJ5Wvn by @DRBoguslaw
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) August 14, 2023
Fox TV Station’s CEO, John Aberneth, allegedly contributed $3,300 to the campaign. FEC records indicate a $500 donation from Fox executive Stephen Brown. Fox Corporation Chief Legal and Policy Officer, Viet D Dinh, reportedly allocated a total of $6,600.
According to FEC records, additional Fox executives, Adrian Farley and Jamie Gillespie, collectively invested $6,600.
Fox Corporation attorneys, including deputy general counsel and executive vice president Elizabeth Casey and Joe Di Scipio, senior vice president and assistant general counsel, gave a combined $11,350. Elizabeth Casey purportedly gave $2,000, while attorney Joe Di Scipio reportedly donated $1,000. The Fox Corporation political action committee gave $8,500 to Manchin.
Before this, Manchin’s last donation from a Fox executive was in 2018, when James Murdoch contributed to the Democratic senator.
Manchin frequently appears on the network to issue warnings about various topics that are often at odds with the current Democratic majority but in line with the conservative network’s viewership.
Stan Oklobdzija, a political science professor at Tulane University, told The Intercept, “A lot of donations are part of the buddy network. The world of extremely rich and influential people in the United States is kind of small. Manchin has been around on the Hill for a long time; he’s a known commodity. These donors probably come across Manchin, they like him, they see him as reliable and want to keep him in office.”
Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti reportedly mentioned that FOXPAC backs elected officials and candidates from both sides of the aisle.
A recognized moderate, Manchin attended a No Labels event in Manchester, NH. He has contemplated departing the Democratic Party and pursuing a third-party candidacy. A May poll indicates he trails West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) by 22 points.
