MRC Press Release - HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER HOYER LATEST DEMOCRAT TO ADMIT TO SEEKING RETURN OF THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2008

CONTACT: COLLEEN O’BOYLE or TIM SCHEIDERER AT 703.683.5004

HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER HOYER LATEST DEMOCRAT TO ADMIT TO SEEKING RETURN OF THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE
Hoyer with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, others in support of government censorship

ALEXANDRIA, VA – As reported today by CNSNews.com, Democratic House Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) has now joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) in publicly announcing their desire to reinstate the onerous government censorship innocuously known as the Fairness Doctrine.

The public desire of Pelosi and now Hoyer, the two most powerful members of the House of Representatives, for the return of the Fairness Doctrine further explains why Congressman Mike Pence’s Broadcaster Freedom Act (BFA), which will kill once and for all the Fairness Doctrine, has not been allowed out of committee and on to the floor for a full and fair vote.

Congressman Pence has filed a discharge petition to get his bill a full vote, his only avenue to bypass the dictatorial blockage of the House leadership. The petition requires 218 Congressional signatures; Pence has thus far secured only 198 – ALL of them Republicans.

The MRC, long a leader on the issue of free speech, has had nearly 200,000 people demand that Congress have an up or down vote on the BFA by signing their petition for Broadcaster Freedom on their website: (http://www.mrcaction.org/512/petition.asp).

The Fairness Doctrine served for forty years to silence free speech on the radio airwaves. Its 1987 repeal led to a talk radio revolution, one dominated by conservative hosts. Liberals, having failed repeatedly to compete in this marketplace, now seek to again shut it down with the reinstatement of the Doctrine.

MRC President L. Brent Bozell, III:

“Hoyer has now joined Pelosi in coming out of the anti-free speech closet. Their now public advocacy for censorship explains why they continue to refuse to allow Congressman Pence’s Broadcaster Freedom Act out of committee.

“Pelosi and Hoyer will not put their Caucus’ votes where their mouths are, because they both know the American people are for free speech and against the Fairness Doctrine. If they are confident enough to go on the record with their desire to reinstate the Doctrine, why are they so afraid to put it on the table for a vote?

“Americans of all stripes should demand that their representatives sign the petition for Broadcaster Freedom, to force Pelosi, Hoyer and every member of Congress to cast their votes on the vital issue of free speech.”

To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O’Boyle (x. 122) at (703) 683-5004.