"FOXfact[s]" about GOP budget nearly identical to GOP Rep. Ryan's op-ed

Original Link: http://mediamatters.org/items/200904010017

Summary: While interviewing Rep. Paul Ryan, Fox News aired "FOXfact[s]" purporting to describe facts about the House Republican budget. However, all of the seven on-screen "FOXfact[s]" were nearly identical to portions of an op-ed Ryan published in that day's Wall Street Journal.

During the April 1 edition of Fox News' Happening Now, while co-host Jon Scott interviewed Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Fox News aired "FOXfact[s]" purporting to describe facts about the House Republican budget. However, all of the seven on-screen "FOXfact[s]" were nearly identical to portions of an op-ed Ryan published in that day's Wall Street Journal. For example, using nearly identical language, Fox News and Ryan's op-ed both characterized President Obama's cap-and-trade proposal as a "scheme." Ryan wrote, "We do these things by rejecting the president's cap-and-trade scheme"; the "FOXfact" stated that the "GOP budget rejects the president's cap-and-trade scheme."

Media Matters for America previously noted that Scott passed off a GOP press release as Fox News' own research, even reproducing a typo contained in the Republican press release.

Below are the relevant portions of Ryan's Wall Street Journal op-ed, followed by screen captures of the "FOXfact[s]."

1. From Ryan's op-ed:

"The Republican budget achieves lower deficits than the Democratic plan in every year."

2. From Ryan's op-ed:

"Under our plan, debt held by the public is $3.6 trillion less during the budget period."

3. From Ryan's op-ed:

"Our budget gives priority to national defense and veterans' health care."

4. From Ryan's op-ed:

"We do these things by rejecting the president's cap-and-trade scheme."

5. From Ryan's op-ed:

"Our budget does not raise taxes, and makes permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax laws."

6. From Ryan's op-ed:

"Capital gains and dividends are taxed at 15%, and the death tax is repealed."

7. From Ryan's op-ed:

"The budget permanently cuts the uncompetitive corporate income tax rate."

—E.H.H.