New York Magazine Does Deep Dive On How Trump Ally David Smith Uses His News Empire To Target Democrats

New York Magazine Does Deep Dive On How Trump Ally David Smith Uses His News Empire To Target Democrats

Paul Farhi Writes How Sinclair Uses ‘Scripts’ To Amplify Trump’s Message, Hires Former Republican Campaign Advisers To Do Their Bidding In Maryland, And Pulls Shows Off Their Network For Being Critical Of MAGA Allies

ANNAPOLIS, MD –  Today, New York Magazine released a deep dive highlighting how Trump ally David Smith uses his media empire to target Democrats around the nation and here in Maryland. Despite those attacks, Governor Moore is as popular as ever and NY Mag writes “the Sun-Sinclair alliance in Maryland doesn’t seem to have dented Moore’s pursuit of a second term as governor.” 

“Marylanders deserve reporting that is fair and accurate, but are receiving neither from the right wing propaganda machine David Smith has created,” said Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Steuart Pittman. “Nationally we’ve seen Sinclair use scripts to amplify Donald Trump’s messaging and kick shows off the air for being critical of those who support the MAGA agenda. Here at home they claim their reporters are independent and their news has no bias but they’re hiring former Maryland Republican Party officials. Marylanders are smarter than David Smith thinks, and his tactics here aren’t working against one of the nation’s most popular governors.” 

 

This reporting from Paul Farhi of New York has said what many Marylanders have come to know personally: Trump ally David D. Smith has used his position of power and his media empire to ‘deliver’ Donald Trump’s message and target Democrats around the nation. 

Farhi writes that the Baltimore Sun’s actions are ‘unusual, if not unprecedented.’ And, that “one of Spotlight’s leading reporters on the Moore stories, Gary M. Collins, is a former Republican campaign adviser who until 2022 was vice-chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.” He also highlights how “Sullins and other journalists involved in the story have peppered Moore’s office with requests for information that have sometimes taken on a badgering, even bullying tone.”

Their reporter also shares with readers how ‘some in Baltimore are skeptical that Smith and his media properties can act as fair brokers, including former Sun journalists.’ When interviewed, Dan Rodricks stated, “I wouldn’t trust anything that comes out of Spotlight on Maryland.” The Baltimore Sun has also seen resignations of trusted journalists like Jeff Barker, who cited the outlet’s purchase by David D. Smith as the reason for his decision to leave.

This comes after earlier reporting from Semafor that uncovered how David D. Smith, owner of The Baltimore Sun and executive chairman of Sinclair, Inc, ideologically reshaped and corrupted Baltimore Sun operations. Max Tani of Semafor read through the comment requests sent by Sinclair Broadcast Group to Governor Moore’s office and wrote, “it was hard not to see that the probe went beyond the normal course of asking questions to reveal new information. The messages were laden with contempt, and at points directly threatened Moore with military disciplinary action.”

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