Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois is going after Sinclair Broadcast Group, because, Heaven forbid, the company is having local broadcasters recite a message saying they want their news to be truthful and not based on opinion.

"This most recent incident continues the troubling history of Sinclair dictating content to its stations, including mandating they run Sinclair-produced segments," Durbin wrote. "This practice not only compromises the ability of local reporters to serve the unique interests of their viewers, but it undercuts the journalistic integrity of local news anchors who are required to deliver corporate-scripted messages, at times without providing a disclaimer of their source."

I wonder why Durbin isn't troubled by the repetitious content at CNN, NBC, MSNBC, the Washington Post, PBS, NPR, etc.

There are great examples of fake news stories that news outlets repeat continuously.  Instead of Durbin being concerned about the fake news, he is concerned about Sinclair saying it strives not to report fake news.

The first is the Russian collusion with Trump story.  There was never any basis in fact for this story.  It was started by a fake Russian dossier funded by Hillary and the DNC and was used as an excuse for the Obama administration to spy on Trump and his people.  Not once have I heard Durbin care about the clear targeting of a politician based on pure garbage.  I also have never heard Durbin ask why the DNC wouldn't allow the government to examine its computers for that, since the DNC blamed Russians for committing a crime. 

The other is how news outlets worldwide just keep repeating the fake news that man, fossil fuels, and CO2 cause global warming.  It is clear that there have been significant periods of time (from 1945 to 1976) where the temperature was falling while CO2 was rising, which shows that there is actually zero correlation between the two, yet we are told the science is settled and people who disagree should not be listened to.  It amounts to indoctrination for a false cause, and the press has no small role.

Durbin even votes for this stuff.

NPR and PBS receive significant government funding, have tax-free status, and have an obvious left-wing bias, and Durbin never questioned the tax-free status or government funding. 

It was so much easier for government and people like Dick Durbin to control the news when there were few outlets. 

Besides having a double standard on what's fake news, Durbin has a partisan agenda.

Durbin may be all full of phony concern about Sinclair's statement, but we should remember that Durbin has a hypocritical record on the matter of private business and civil society groups and how they should be run.  As Durbin yells about Sinclair, recall the letter Durbin sent to the IRS to urge it to investigate a conservative group.  Somehow, no liberal groups were also named in his letter.

Here is an excerpt from Durbin's letter:

I write to urge the Internal Revenue Service to examine the purpose and primary activities of several 501 (c)(4) organizations that appear to be in violation of the law[.] ... [Crossroads GPS] has spent nearly $20 million on television advertising specific to Senate campaigns this year. If this political activity is indeed the primary activity of the organization, it raises serious questions about the organization's compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.

What it goes to show is that it is much more dangerous for democracy and our freedom for a senator and the IRS to stifle the free speech of a group they disagree with than when Sinclair Broadcast Group personalities read a message that says they strive to report the truth. 

The targeting of Sinclair by Durbin and news outlets like the Washington Post is telling.