The Anatomy of a Lie: Right-Wing "Media Trackers" Strikes Again with Libelous Smear
What is Media Trackers?
Media Trackers' website says it is "dedicated to media accountability, government transparency, and quality fact-based journalism." Media Trackers does not disclose its funders on its website, but some information is known.
American Majority, the right-wing Tea Party group established in 2008, founded Media Trackers in Wisconsin as an "experiment" in January 2011. This was the height of the winter 2011 protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's union-busting and budget cutting proposals. The group quickly established its reputation as an attack dog organization with scant regard for the facts. The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has long tracked their spin and distortions. Media Trackers responded recently by attacking CMD for screening Bill Moyers' documentary on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) with Mark Pocan, who is featured in the film. Media Trackers "exposed" that this writer gave a campaign contribution to Pocan who is also my neighbor and State Rep. CMD invited all the Wisconsin stars of the film to the movie, including the many professors and pundits who contributed to our "ALEC Exposed" investigation, which just received its fifth award for public interest research and excellence in journalism.
According to a 2010 article in AlterNet, over 75 percent of the funding for American Majority comes from the Sam Adams Alliance, headed by Eric O'Keefe, (who also helps lead American Majority). O'Keefe is a long-time Koch operative who sits on dozens of right-wing boards and organizations. SAM gets funding from the State Policy Network (SPN) which itself is partially funded by The Claude R. Lambe Foundation, a project of Charles Koch.
According to Mother Jones, Media Trackers was founded to be a "nimble attack blog ... that could quickly capitalize on the latest missteps by big-government politicians or the 'liberal' media -- essentially hard-hitting, opposition-research-style shops that prize scoops, speed, and scandal over policy briefs and press conferences." This turns out to be too charitable of a description.
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/10/11831/anatomy-lie-right-wing-media-trackers-strikes-again-libelous-smear
