Lawmaker: Revoke Al Jazeera’s Congressional Press Credentials

[Valin]

Washington Free Beacon

Letter: 'Suspension of Al Jazeera's press credentials is not only in order, but imperative'

Adam Kredo
June 21, 2019

A Republican lawmaker has formally petitioned the Congressional Press Office to revoke Al Jazeera's press credentials pending an investigation into the outlet's ownership, according to a letter obtained by the Free Beacon.

Rep. Jack Bergman (R., Mich.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, petitioned the Capitol Hill press officers earlier this month to immediately suspend "press credentials for the Al Jazeera news network" in light of "recent reports that the sole owner and shareholder of Al Jazeera International is the Emir of the State of Qatar," according to the letter.

Al Jazeera's press credentials should be revoked until Congress and the Department of Justice completes an investigation into possible violations of U.S. law by the network, the letter discloses.

Bergman and other lawmakers have argued that the outlet operates at the will of Qatar's ruling body and should be subject to laws compelling disclosure of these ties with the Department of Justice. Other foreign-owned media outlets such as Russia's RT had their press credentials revoked in 2017 over similar concerns regarding the dissemination of state-approved propaganda in the U.S.

Congress went even further in recent months to compel foreign government's to disclose their media ties when they passed a measure requiring outlets like RT and Al Jazeera to register with the Federal Communications Commission, which Al Jazeera has thus far declined to do.

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