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☆ Arizona man targeted by January 6 conspiracy theorists sues Fox News for defamation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Ray Epps, the Arizona man that conspiracy theorists falsely claim led an FBI plot to orchestrate the January 6 insurrection, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Fox News, accusing the right-wing channel and former host Tucker Carlson of defamation. “Eventually, they turned on one of their own.”Spokespeople for Fox News did not immediately return a request for comment. “As Fox recently learned in its litigation against Dominion Voting Systems, its lies have consequences,” the lawsuit added. In that same month, Fox News also settled an election-related lawsuit with a Venezuelan businessman who had also sued the network for defamation. Fox is also facing another major defamation lawsuit from voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for $2.7 billion.

Persons: New York CNN — Ray Epps, Tucker Carlson, “, Donald Trump, ” Spokespeople, Carlson, Epps, baselessly, Epps ’, ”, Carlson’s, Trump, Abby Grossberg, Fox Organizations: New, New York CNN, FBI, Wednesday, Fox News, Republican Party, Capitol, Fox, Dominion Voting Systems, Trump Locations: New York, Arizona, untangle, Venezuelan

☆ Former Fox executives say they regret helping Rupert Murdoch birth ‘disinformation machine’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Three former high-ranking Fox executives are blasting Rupert Murdoch for Fox News’ role spreading disinformation in the public discourse. In a joint statement published Wednesday, the executives — Preston Padden, Ken Solomon, and Bill Reyner — expressed profound regret for their roles helping Murdoch build Fox in its early days. It’s only the latest lawsuit Fox News has faced for advancing false election conspiracy theories after Donald Trump was defeated at the ballot box in 2020. In that same month, Fox News also settled an election-related lawsuit with a Venezuelan businessman who had sued the network. Fox News is also facing another major defamation lawsuit from voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for $2.7 billion.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, — Preston Padden, Ken Solomon, Bill Reyner —, Murdoch, Padden, Solomon, Reyner, “, ” “, Fox, ” Padden, —, Ray Epps, Tucker Carlson, It’s, Donald Trump, Abby Grossberg, ”, Epps Organizations: CNN, Fox, Fox News, Federal Communications Commission, Murdoch’s Fox News, FBI, Dominion Voting Systems, Capitol Locations: Washington, Arizona, Venezuelan

He can be seen moving past a line of Capitol Police at the barricades, but never actually goes inside the Capitol. Federal prosecutors have not charged Mr. Epps with a crime, focusing instead on the more than 1,000 other demonstrators who acted violently or were trespassing in the Capitol. The Justice Department’s sprawling investigation into the attack remains open, however, and Mr. Epps could still be indicted. Yet for more than 18 months, Mr. Carlson insisted that the lack of charges against Mr. Epps could mean only one thing: that he was being protected because he was a secret government agent. There was “no rational explanation,” Mr. Carlson told his audience, why this “mysterious figure” who “helped stage-manage the insurrection” had not been charged.

Persons: Tucker Carlson, Donald J, Trump, Ray Epps —, Epps, Carlson, Mr, “, ” Organizations: Fox News, Capitol, Trump, Capitol Police, Federal Locations: Arizona, Washington

☆ Review: ‘I’m a Virgo’ Goes Big
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( James Poniewozik | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Boots Riley doesn’t aim small. In his magnificently batty TV series, “I’m a Virgo,” which arrives on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, the screen may be smaller. “People are always afraid,” his aunt says, “and you are a 13-foot-tall Black man.”As he approaches adulthood, the walls and door frames of the house can’t take the arrangement much longer. Neither can Cootie, who longs to see a world that he’s experienced only through TV commercials and comic books. He sneaks out, makes friends with some young neighbors — they take him on a joyride, Cootie squatting on the car as if it were a skateboard — and meets the world.

Persons: Boots Riley, batty, That’s, Jharrel Jerome, Carmen Ejogo, Mike Epps, ”, “, — Organizations: Amazon Prime, Oakland

☆ Tucker Carlson was fired before he could give a conspiracy theory-laden monologue alleging a Jan. 6 protester was actually an FBI informant, biographer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tucker Carlson was kicked off Fox News ahead of a monologue about January 6, per his biographer. Carlson reportedly planned to talk about Ray Epps, who is falsely accused of sparking the insurrection. Epps is the subject of a false conspiracy theory that he's an FBI plant. Carlson has nonetheless repeatedly promoted the conspiracy theory on his show, as have far-right Republican lawmakers including Sen. Ted Cruz and Reps. Matt Gaetz, Thomas Massie, and Marjorie Taylor Greene. Carlson and Fox News are negotiating the terms of Carlson's exit from the network.

☆ Rupert Murdoch Made the Decision to Ouster Tucker Carlson: LA Times Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Nicholas Carlson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sources told an LA Times reporter that Rupert Murdoch himself made the decision to fire Tucker Carlson. Meanwhile, other outlets reported that Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott made the call. Murdoch was tired of Tucker Carlson's conspiracy theories about the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol. Fox News has not addressed the specific reasons the network and Carlson parted ways, saying in a Monday morning statement: "FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. Editor's note, April 24: This story has been updated to include recent reporting from Axios, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

☆ Trump supporter who went into hiding over a Jan. 6 conspiracy theory says Tucker Carlson is 'obsessed' with him
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Epps told 60 Minutes that Carlson was "obsessed" with him and was trying to "destroy" his life. In an interview that aired on Sunday, Epps told 60 Minutes that Tucker Carlson is "going to any means possible to destroy my life." Carlson has mentioned Epps on his television show "Tucker Carlson Tonight" half a dozen times this year alone, 60 Minutes reported. Epps told 60 Minutes that he thinks Carlson continues to cover the conspiracy theory "to shift blame on somebody else." What they don't understand is that it doesn't," his wife, Robin, told 60 Minutes.

Carlson, the highest-rated single host at Fox News, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The decision to part ways with Carlson was made Friday evening by Fox Corporation chief executive Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott, a person familiar with the matter said. During his time as a prime time host on Fox News, Carlson ascended to become one of the most influential figures inside the GOP. In a text on Nov. 5, 2020 — two days after the 2020 election — Carlson wrote his producer Alex Pfeiffer: “We worked really hard to build what we have. Last month, she sued Fox News, Carlson, his executive producer Justin Wells and other figures, as well as Fox’s parent corporation.

☆ Top pro leagues, media outlets team up to combat problematic sports-betting ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The nation's top professional leagues are teaming up with some TV broadcasters to tackle irresponsible sports-betting advertising. The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, NASCAR, and MLS have joined media companies NBCUniversal and Fox to form The Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising. The coalition, led by NFL vice president of public policy and government affairs, Jonathan Nabavi, aims to regulate sports-betting advertising as it floods television, internet and print media. The move comes as sports betting becomes legal in more states and opponents worry its advertising targets minors. The National Council on Problem Gambling has commended the coalition and promised to work in collaboration with it to "better mitigate problem gambling related harm."

“And yet, Mr. Carlson persists with his assault on the truth.”The letter from Teter demanded a formal retraction and on-air apology “for the lies” that have been spread about Epps on the channel. On many occasions, Carlson has specifically mentioned Epps on his show, and has played footage from January 6 of Epps at the Capitol. Each time Mr. Carlson and Fox News spreads more misinformation about Mr. Epps, the harm redoubles.”Spokespeople for Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has publicly pushed for professional accountability against lawyers who have spread election lies. The lawsuit from Dominion has unearthed damning messages from Fox News executives and hosts that have shown the network peddled election lies to its audience that it knew were false.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence Jim Jordan announced Ray Epps will testify against FBI
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

No evidence supports online claims that U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio said Ray Epps, a figure linked to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will testify about alleged FBI involvement in the attack. One tweet said Jordan “just announced” Epps “flipped and will testify” against the FBI, and “watch as they now start to testify against each other-OMG..” (here). Jordan has not posted about Epps or the Jan. 6 attack on his website (jordan.house.gov/), Twitter (twitter.com/Jim_Jordan) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/repjimjordan/). Reporting on how Ray Epps became the target of these conspiracy theories can be found (here ), (here). There is no evidence that Rep. Jim Jordan publicly announced Ray Epps will testify against the FBI regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

☆ Pro-Trump protester Ray Epps told Jan. 6 committee 'crazy' conspiracy theories tore apart his life
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Ryan J. Reilly | Ryan J. Reilly Is A Justice Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Ray Epps told the Jan. 6 committee that the theory that he was working for the FBI never made much sense, given that Epps’ image landed on an FBI poster in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Epps told the committee that he was under the impression that the building, which was closed to the general public because of COVID restrictions, would be open. Another rioter, one of the first to breach the barricades, also told authorities that Epps told him to “relax“ and that police were just doing their job. It got really, really bad," he said. So it got really, really difficult after that.

☆ Top 25 roundup: Rasir Bolton helps No. 2 Gonzaga defeat No. 4 Kentucky
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

4 Kentucky on Sunday night at Spokane, Wash.Drew Timme added 22 points and Julian Strawther had 20 points and 14 rebounds for Gonzaga (3-1). Reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe had 20 points and 15 rebounds for Kentucky (3-2). Jacob Toppin scored 16 points, Cason Wallace had 14 points and four steals and Antonio Reeves scored 10 points off the bench for the Wildcats. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 15 points in the loss, while Campbell finished with 12 points. Mekhi Lairy and Julian Lewis each scored 12 points in defeat for Miami (1-5), which dropped its third straight.

☆ Pacific Life Insurance Names New Tech Chief From USAA
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

She replaces Mike Shadler, who has served as CIO since 2018 and plans to retire at the end of the year, a spokesperson for the life insurance company said. She will report directly to Pacific Life Chief Executive Darryl Button. Still, many life insurers aren’t meeting customer expectations in terms of speed of service and method of communication, said Ted Epps, Global Life Insurance Technology Leader at Ernst & Young. Insurance technology is “the convergence of modern digital experiences and advice with proven products,” Mr. Epps said. Prudential Financial Inc. is using more digital and cloud-based tools for managing expenses and financial planning, chief financial officer Ken Tanji told The Wall Street Journal in February.

☆ New: Chris Epps Works His Way Up
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNew: Chris Epps Works His Way UpEpps has down-home charm that helps his interactions with state lawmakers.

☆ New: Epps Shuts Down Whistleblower
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNew: Epps Shuts Down WhistleblowerMississippi Department of Corrections investigates suspected abuse, but the case is closed abruptly.

☆ Radio DJ Art Laboe, who helped desegregate music venues and celebrated 'oldies but goodies,' dies at 97
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Radio DJ Art Laboe, who interviewed Elvis for radio in the 1950s before helping make Black music and Latino youths lifelong friends, has died. The DJ, who hosted a show on Los Angeles radio station KDAY, died Friday of pneumonia, according to a statement on his Facebook page. The final show from Laboe, who is credited with coining the phrase "oldies but goodies," was broadcast Sunday. "Art Laboe's legacy will endure as his team will continue to produce his current nightly request and dedication syndicated radio show, 'The Art Laboe Connection,'" the post said. In the mid-1950s, Laboe was the top daytime radio DJ in Los Angeles.

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