[mp3-jplayer tracks=”CounterSpin Brendan Fischer Lee Fang @https://eadn-wc04-3257648.nxedge.io/audio/counterspin/CounterSpin072415.mp3″]
This week on CounterSpin, a sort of theme show on how media cover government corruption disguised as business as usual. First up: A Wisconsin court has just handed Gov. Scott Walker a “big victory,” headlines in the Washington Post and elsewhere declared. One might’ve hoped they’d lead with what the ruling–about Walker’s abuse of campaign finance rules–did for democracy and the public’s right to know who’s paying what to whom in public office. We’ll talk with Brendan Fischer, general counsel at the Center for Media and Democracy, about what just happened in Wisconsin. [TRANSCRIPT]
Also on the show: The sense is that the joke is on anyone who’s at all surprised to see former US Attorney General Eric Holder miss nary a beat going from investigating big financial interests to representing them at law firm Covington & Burling. Elite media’s utter lack of interest in the move suggests that outrage is outre, but how might journalists talk about this sort of democracy-mocking shenanigan without normalizing it? Reporter Lee Fang writes for The Intercept and The Nation, among other outlets. He’s followed the revolving door for years; we’ll talk with him about that. [TRANSCRIPT]
And first, as usual, we take a look back at recent press.
LINKS:
- “Five Things to Know About the Scott Walker John Doe Ruling,” by Brendan Fischer (PR Watch, 7/16/15)
- “Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That Lobbies for Big Banks,” by Lee Fang (The Intercept, 7/6/15)
These are the kinds of things that just don’t bother most people nowadays. One of my brothers worked for a defense contractor and was protected by a union to the point that he became a millionaire by working tons of overtime and investing in whatever would make the most money. Yet he is disdainful of unions, admires Scott Walker, wonders why minimum wage workers need food stamps to survive, and watches Fox News way too much. If Fox News were to be honest in their message they would say over and over, “We want to kill everyone who is lazy, retarded, gay, sick, or uppity”.