Photo via U.S. Department of Justice
February 17, 2021, 3:10 pm
One Leo Brent Bozell IV, son of the founder and executive of a right-wing media company who is rich enough to have a kid with roman numerals in his name, has been arrested and charged for taking part in the assault on the Capitol on January 6.
Advertisement
Hide
Leo Brent Bozell III created the Media Research Center in 1987, and the more you learn about the organization, the more satisfying this arrest becomes.
Advertisement
Hide
The younger Bozell was caught on video at the Capitol all the way to the floor of the Senate chambers and identified thanks to his decision to wear his Hershey’s Christian Academy sweatshirt, where he worked as a basketball coach. He is facing obstruction, trespassing, and disorderly conduct charges, according to the unsealed criminal complaint against him.
The Media Research Center calls itself a “media watchdog,” but states that its mission is “to expose and neutralize the propaganda arm of the Left: the national news media” and is funded by a number of hedge fund companies and massive corporations, including ExxonMobile.
Advertisement
Hide
Tim Alberta of Politico put much of the blame for Donald Trump’s attacks on journalists on the shoulders of the MRC, calling it “one of the most active and best-funded, and yet least known, arms of the modern conservative movement.” In 2005, Brian Montopoli of the Columbia Journalism Review characterized it as “propaganda clothed as critique.”
“The organization hands out bumper stickers and erects billboards that say ‘Tell the Truth — Don’t Believe The Liberal Media’; its founder writes books about ‘how the major TV, radio, and print news outlets not only distort the news, but try to dictate the national agenda’; and its leaders turn to the likes of Ann Coulter as a voice of reason in the debate over what constitutes fair and accurate journalism.”
On January 6, 2021, the older Bozell was on Fox News making excuses with an explicitly agreeing with the insurrectionists.
Advertisement
Hide
“This is an explosion of pent-up outrage from middle America,” he said. “They are furious that they believe this election was stolen. I agree with them.”
Judging by his Twitter account, Bozell III is also the primary author of the pro-Trump book Unmasked: Big Media’s War Against Trump.
Considering the legacy of the Bozells, Trump critics are particularly happy about this arrest.
That’s the arrest I was waiting for. I was afraid his privilege would shield him. Probably won’t get but a tap on the wrist for it but at least he was charged. Sick of these Christians breaking the law and acting holier than thou.
— SeasTheDay
*First Published: February 17, 2021, 3:10 pm
0 Comments