GOP complaint takes sports radio host and potential Mitch McConnell challenger Matt Jones off air

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Louisville Courier Journal


Sarah Ladd
Louisville Courier Journal
Published 10:00 p.m. ET Nov. 6, 2019

Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones, who's toyed with the idea of running for Senate next year against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2020, announced Wednesday he won't be on iHeart Radio in the near future.

"Due to the Mitch McConnell complaint filed this morning with the FEC against me, iHeart Radio has asked that I not be on the show in the upcoming days," Jones wrote on the Kentucky Sports Radio website.

The Republican Party of Kentucky filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission on Wednesday accusing Jones, a Democrat, of "serious violations" of regulations, including accepting corporate contributions toward his campaign and failing to report related expenditures.

"The complaint is absolute nonsense and very disappointing from someone as powerful as McConnell," he wrote. "I have said repeatedly in public and in filings with the FEC that I am not yet a candidate and I haven’t used the show to raise money or talk about my Exploratory Committee in any way. Nevertheless Senator McConnell has complained that having me on air is unfair and the man who speaks often about the importance of free speech and the exchange of public ideas has decided to cut off mine."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/11/06/matt-jones-mitch-mcconnell-complaint/2514428001/

[sprinkleeninow]

1. Having him on air is unfaywah. Sez mcturdle.

Can anyone wrap their astute heads of intellect around any of this???

[cstanleytech]

2. Its bullshit as Mitch goes on the air and gives interviews unless of course he is going to decline

to do so from now and until after the election.
In fact maybe this guy should return the favor and file his own complaint against Mitch for doing that as after all whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

[reggaehead]

3. You know who owns iheart radio

Bain Capiral ie Mitt Romney. So much for his moderate temperance

[Judi Lynn]

5. Did not know! Yikes. Thanks, a lot. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

7. iheart is also the rebranded/renamed Clear Channel radio

And we all know about them.

[usaf-vet]

12. Does that mean iHeart radio will have to go silent if Romney runs in 2020?

God if that's the case I think I'll fire up PayPal and send Romney a buck or two.

[oldsoftie]

15. But Romney doesnt have a radio show

Thats the issue here. Its considered free advertising

[usaf-vet]

16. Granted. But let's look at other examples of undo influence supporting republican candidates.

Dark money buys ads to run every 15 mins on iHeart's nationwide network. Running MUST play ads.

And let's not forget FOX which allows Trump and others to call in and get on the air in the middle of live programming.

Over the years certainly, since Reagan the republicans have been stacking the deck to ensure themselves with overwhelming advantages in every election.

It's not just in the realm of advertising but they are stacking the federal courts to ensure their advantages in court decisions.

McTurtles denial of Merrick Garland's due process in the Senate for an open SCOTUS seat.
Kavanaugh's questionable appointment to yet another SCOTUS seat.

Republicans don't want to compete fairly they want to deny opponents any reasonable advantage they might have.
Think of the SwiftBoating of John Kerry a decorated Vietnam veteran. And in current news Trump's demands to ID the whistleblower so he/she can be attacked.

[certainot]

21. if putin/trump would pay $1000 for a 1hr radio infomercial, 1200 stations are worth almost $5BIL/yr

that would be 1200 x 15 hrs/day x 5days/wk

and 2 universities in kentucky - Louisville 2, Kentucky 1 - broadcast sports on/endorse/support 3 limnbaugh stations which are there to support mcconnel and help him get elected and those 3 radio stations x $75000 / week = $225,000/ week supporting mcconnel and trump. those schools have no excuse not to start looking for apolitical alts.

fox is a decoy, heavily dependent on democrats continuing to ignore talk radio, which can be locally coordinated and does the unchallenged repetition fox depends on

whenever and whatever the left protests at rw talk radio stations will be front page - the 87 universities that keep supporting trump and mcconnel and denying global warming need to be protested until the ad industry hass to pull the plug on the rw radio monopoly

[Historic NY]

4. Just remember to file against any of the so called commentators when they are on FOX

[Lexblues]

6. Matt Jones is a bigger threat to Mitch than Amy McGrath

Matt Jones has a large and loyal following due to Kentucky Sports Radio. He's young, not a lot of known baggage and from the mountains in eastern KY. He's a mortal threat to McConnell.

[PhilipDC]

20. Jones

Jones may have a big fanbase in eastern KY, but he is hated by a lot of people in the Louisville area. He would have a hard time winning a primary in the most populous and most Democratic area of the state.

[chowder66]

8. How very Putinesque of McConnell. nt

[Maxheader]

9. Don't know anything about mitch..

the bitch..seems states will keep the anti-lib folk in wa...as long as they get a return on the treachery..

Has mtb done anything for the people of kentucky? advanced medicaid..promoted alternative energy
sources..supplemented medicare..har dee har har, on the last one..

[gab13by13]

10. I hope this backfires on Mitch.

It can be used as a pretty strong talking point.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Moscow Mitch's freedom to suppress and censor

included Merrick Garland. Don't you love First Amendment, Republican Style?

[htuttle]

13. The FEC has basically been dismantled -- they don't even have quorum to meet right now

Screw McConnell.

Wait for the FEC to get reconstituted and issue a ruling before obeying it.

[oldsoftie]

14. Him on radio is considered free advertising. Remember when Howard Stern was going to run?

he was told he'd have to give up his radio show during the election. There are other examples as well

[riversedge]

17. UMM... there are several articles saying the FEC does not have a

enough members to do its work, but seems they jumped on this new one!

[BootinUp]

18. Forget it Jake, its Kentucky. nt

[MartyTheGreek]

19. Then Hannity should be off the air...

especially if the POTUS is calling him and telling him what to say. Republicans are dictating corrupt policy through Hannity. This must end!

[Initech]

22. They have a 24/7 news network that caters to their every demand.

And has people working in the fucking White House. Yet go after the guy who's on sports radio. Right.