Rupert Murdoch appeared before a House Judiciary Committee panel Thursday as just another businessman hoping to convince lawmakers that a broad immigration overhaul — including a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants — is good for the economy.
But Murdoch is not just any businessman. As the chairman and CEO of News Corp., Murdoch is in charge of the Democratic Party’s most powerful media nemesis — Fox News — and for Democrats on the committee, it was an opportunity they could not pass up.
Rep. Linda Sanchez of California asked Murdoch how he feels about the “anti-immigrant positions” promoted on Fox. Rep. Maxine Waters of California questioned why Murdoch hasn’t done more to promote his views through his various news outlets, which include The Wall Street Journal.
It took a Republican — Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas — to defend Fox, pointing to studies that reveal Americans perceive it as the “most fair” of all the television news networks.
Murdoch’s response to Waters and Sanchez was that Fox is simply misunderstood. “We are not anti-immigrant on Fox News,” Murdoch said, adding later that “I have no trouble in supporting what I’m saying here today on Fox News, nor would a great number of the commentators on Fox News.”
In fact, according to Michael Wolff, a frequent critic of Fox News and author of the Murdoch biography “The Man Who Owns the News,” the immigration issue, at times, creates tension between Murdoch and Fox News Channel President Roger Ailes.
“Rupert is an internationalist,” Wolff said. “His wife is Chinese, remember. I have actually heard Ailes say that this is one of Rupert’s issues and add, ‘because of the marital situation.’ And then scowl.”
Fox News, though, seems to have had a mixed approach to the immigration debate — at least by one measure.
“The term ‘illegals’ is used on Fox all the time,” said Ivan Roman, executive director of National Association of Hispanic Journalists. “It’s part of the rhetoric that is used by people who are anti-immigrant.”
Roman, whose group has argued against the use of “illegals” in the news media, said the term has appeared on many other news outlets, including on CNN in 2006 during the height of the immigration debate, but that Fox has been the most ready to give “a megaphone” to anti-immigrant voices.
Fox’s on-air talent also uses the preferred term “undocumented” on its broadcasts, though far less often than “illegal immigrant” or “illegal aliens.”
A spokesman for Fox declined to discuss Roman’s criticism, deferring to Murdoch’s testimony.
During the debate this summer over Arizona’s controversial immigration law, Fox News contributors, such as Steven Crowder and Mike Gallagher, supported the measure, while “Fox News Sunday” moderator Chris Wallace expressed concerns.
“I’m not sure I like the idea that law enforcement can go up to anybody and [say], ‘Show me your identity card,’” Wallace said on Gallagher’s program.
Also appearing with Murdoch before the House committee was New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Earlier this year, the two billionaires launched Partnership for a New American Economy, a coalition of business and big-city mayors working to convince Congress that a vibrant economy is dependent on sweeping immigration reform.
Testifying together Thursday, Murdoch and Bloomberg made a similar argument — that immigrants are vital to the economy and comprehensive immigration reform is a critical component of shoring it up.
Bloomberg, an independent, told lawmakers that New York has weathered the recession, in large part, because of its immigrant community; 40 percent of its residents were born outside the U.S. And he said immigrants pay more in taxes than they use in benefits.
“Our broken system of immigration is undermining our economy, slowing our recovery and hurting millions of Americans,” Bloomberg said. “We believe that immigration reform needs to become a top national priority. We’re urging members of both parties to help us shift the debate away from emotions and towards economics, because the economics couldn’t be any clearer.”
Murdoch said he supports sealing the U.S. borders to illegal immigrants but also creating a path to citizenship for responsible, law-abiding immigrants who already live in the United States.
“It is nonsense to talk of expelling 12 million people,” said Murdoch, who emigrated to the U.S. from Australia. “Not only is it impractical, it is cost prohibitive.”
Murdoch cited a study that shows a path to legalization would contribute about $1.5 trillion to the gross domestic product over the next decade. And he argued that immigrants have produced some of the nation’s most productive scientists, entrepreneurs and educators.
But he also spoke of his own personal experience.
“As an immigrant, I chose to live in America because it is one of the freest and most vibrant nations in the world. And as an immigrant, I feel an obligation to speak up for immigration policies that will keep America the most economically robust, creative and freedom-loving nation in the world,” he said.
“Over the past four decades, I have enjoyed all the benefits of living, working and building a business in America.”
The hearing took place on a day when Democratic Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Patrick Leahy of Vermont rolled out a comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes a path to legalization, a temporary worker program, workplace and border enforcement measures and the DREAM Act, which failed to pass in the Senate last week.
The legislation, introduced early Thursday morning, just hours before Congress adjourned for the fall campaign, is seen by Republicans as a political stunt to drive Hispanics and the liberal base to the polls this November. Senate Democrats are short the 60 votes needed to advance the bill and are expected to lose seats in the midterm elections.
Scott Wong and Keach Hagey
POLITICO
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