Media top headlines July 19
The White House getting blasted for supporting Big Tech 'collusion' on banning COVID 'misinformation' spreaders, a reporter's candid assessment of progressives on Cuba, and President Biden getting roasted on MSNBC round out today's media headlines.
Reuters was called out on Twitter on Monday for repeatedly promoting merchandise for "Squad" member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is investing heavily in her online store, selling merchandise with her name, initials and slogans as a fundraising effort and profile-building exercise," Reuters tweeted.
Reuters also tweeted, "AOC is now selling merchandise. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become one of America's most prominent progressive Democrats with her calls to tax the wealthy and spend heavily to fight climate change."
"’Tax the Rich’ ‘Fight for our Future' Now she is investing heavily in her online store, selling merchandise with her name, initials and slogans as a fundraising effort and profile-building exercise," said another tweet.
"AOC breaks into the merchandise market," were among the news site’s other tweets.
Twitter users pointed out the unusual number of what appeared to be promotional tweets for a politician.
LIBERALS FUMING AFTER DESANTIS WEBSITE SELLS BEER KOOZIES SAYING ‘DON’T FAUCI MY FLORIDA
"@Reuters is officially advertising @AOC’s online store today. They have tweeted this "breaking news" at least nine times today!" tweeted conservative account Reagan Battalion.
Contributor for The Spectator Stephen Miller also commented, "This is the 9th tweet today Reuters has published on this."
These tweets promoted a recent Reuters article penned by Jason Lange titled "Branding the U.S. left: AOC makes a push into political merchandise." The article revealed that according to campaign disclosures to the Federal Election Commission, Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spent approximately $1.4 million within the first six months of 2021 alone.
"That is more than many lawmakers spent on their entire re-election efforts during the period, and nearly double her payments made over the prior two years to Financial Innovations, a Cranston, Rhode Island firm that specializes in political merchandise for Democrats," Lange wrote.
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The article also stated that the Ocasio-Cortez campaign could receive up to 50% of profits from merchandise sales.
Ocasio-Cortez later responded to the backlash through Sean Spicer's tweet criticizing her support of socialism while using capitalism to raise money.
"Not sure if you know this Sean, but transactions aren’t capitalism. Capitalism is a system that prioritizes profit at any & all human/enviro cost. But fwiw our shop is unionized, doesn’t operate for profit,& funds projects like free tutoring, food programs,& local organizing," she tweeted.
Ocasio-Cortez has long extolled the virtues of socialism and was previously reluctant to call out the communist dictatorship of Cuba. She partially blamed U.S. sanctions for the poor state of Cuban citizens.
This news comes within one week of mainstream media criticizing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, for his latest campaign merchandise. On Tuesday, both CNN and the Washington Post criticized DeSantis for promoting "Don’t Fauci My Florida" T-shirts and beer koozies amid rising coronavirus cases.
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