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Voice of America is weighing a suspension of four contractors who were involved in publishing a story and video that was deemed too favorable to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, according to two people familiar with the matter.

On July 22, VOA’s Urdu service, which is targeted to Urdu-speaking audiences in Pakistan, India and around the world, posted content on its website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages about an online event Biden did reaching out to Muslim Americans as he urged them to vote for him in November. Top VOA officials, reviewing the material after red flags were raised about it externally, found it violated the network’s editorial policies and ordered it taken down. . . .

Included in the video are clips from an ad from Emgage Action’s Million Muslim Votes, a pro-Biden 501c(4) group, pushing for voter turnout. Images of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, appear in the ad clips. (Excerpt from Fox News.)

 

Biden says: “Your voice is your vote, your vote is your voice. Muslim Americans’ voices matter. I’ll be a president that seeks out and incorporates and listens to the ideas and concerns of Muslim Americans on everyday issues that matter most to our communities. That will include having Muslim American voices as part of my administration.”

Editor’s Note: Also important to note is Joe Biden’s remarks at Emgage Action’s virtual Million Muslim Votes Summit where he states;

“Look one of the things that I think is important is I wish, I wish we taught more in our schools about the Islamic faith. I wish we talked about all the great confessional faiths. It’s one of the greatest confessional faiths.” – Joe Biden

The footage, which also includes a brief shot of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), was clipped liberally from the livestream of Emgage Action’s Million Muslim Votes virtual conference earlier this month, for which Biden provided a video. Emgage Action is a left-leaning 501c(4) group that has endorsed Biden and “seeks to mobilize American Muslims to advocate for issues that define who American Muslims are by what they stand for,” according to its website. . . .

The discussions over the fate of the contractors comes amid a politically charged overhaul of taxpayer-funded media outlets, including VOA. Their suspension would represent a less severe punishment than what VOA’s new leadership had first contemplated, according to the two people: immediate termination.

Bill Baum, a longtime VOA veteran and current senior adviser to the acting director, told colleagues earlier this week that VOA wanted to terminate their contracts immediately because the story resembled a campaign ad, was not balanced and violated VOA’s journalism standards.

In a statement, a VOA spokesperson Bridget Serchak said: “VOA leadership is conducting a full review of the circumstances surrounding the matter. Corrective actions will be taken, once all of the facts of the matter have been collected and thoroughly evaluated.”

President Donald Trump and his allies have complained vociferously about the tone of VOA’s coverage — including an unusual blast in a White House newsletter. In the case of the Biden video, people outside of USAGM had flagged it to the new CEO, Michael Pack, and raised concerns about the content, according to the person.

The video also attracted the attention of conservative journalist Sara Carter, who wrote a story on Monday with the headline: “Voice Of America Promoted A Pro-Biden Muslim Political Campaign Ad, Then Removed It.” She quoted House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) calling it “outrageous that VOA … used its platform to campaign for Biden” and demanding an investigation.

Pack, a Steve Bannon ally, fired the heads of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and other outlets as he started as CEO of the taxpayer-funded media group, moves that drew criticism from members of both parties in Congress. Amanda Bennett, the head of VOA at the time, resigned on his first day in the job. . . .

But there are deep suspicions of Pack’s true motives within USAGM and among its supporters on Capitol Hill.

“Unfortunately, he’s trying to find one incident and examples he can show that he is improving the content,” one of the people said of Pack. (A USAGM official said that VOA’s language services have long been “scrutinized for failing to meet journalistic standards and principles” and not adhering to VOA’s charter.)

The scrutiny of the Biden video has drawn top VOA officials into close handling of the matter. Officials in the outlet’s front office have told colleagues the Urdu video should have corrected Biden when he referred to the “Muslim ban” by saying President Trump’s 2017 immigration action didn’t ban all Muslims from entering the U.S., but only selected Muslim-majority countries, according to a person familiar with the internal discussions. The video also should have noted that the Trump campaign is doing its own outreach to Muslim voters and that some Muslim organizations support Trump’s reelection, they said.

Top USAGM officials have demanded to know the names of everyone who was involved in the story and asked to interview them, according to one person familiar with the exchanges.

On Tuesday, the acting director of VOA, Elez Biberaj, held multiple meetings with Pack’s front office and was asked by the deputy chief of staff, Diane Cullo, for the names of the journalists involved in putting out the story and the full translation of the piece, according to two people familiar with the matter. VOA shared that information with USAGM and promised to improve the editorial process to prevent this type of episode from happening again. Biberaj also proposed disciplinary action against other people involved.

On Thursday afternoon, Pack announced an investigation into the incident. In a statement, USAGM said the Biden postings had “transgressed the VOA Charter, VOA’s Best Practices Guide, VOA’s Journalistic Code, and agency standards and principles, and, further, might have constituted U.S. election interference and a violation of federal law.”

“USAGM staff members who attempt to influence American elections will be held accountable,” Pack said. “To safeguard our agency’s reputation and the integrity of our content, I will continue to ensure that violations of journalistic standards and principles are dealt with swiftly and fairly. This investigation – and, indeed, every action that I have taken since starting my tenure last month – has been to repair USAGM so that, once again, U.S. government international broadcasting advances the American national interest.” . . .

“It seems as if the CEO’s office is extremely interested in getting from the other side of the firewall into VOA’s activities,” the person familiar with the internal discussions said. The source could not recall VOA ever considering firing people based upon one story being imbalanced, and without a track record of poor performance.

“This just seems to be so fast and so out of the ordinary,” said the person, who called it a “witch hunt.”

(Excerpt from Politico and Fox News. Article by Daniel Lippman and Joseph A. Wulfsohn. Photo Credit: Getty Images.)

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Rev. Sophia Snyder
October 13, 2020

Did anyone go to a Muslim or Islamic country? I have you would be put in jail or beheaded if your went against them. Biden repent giving one group power over another is not freedom it is tyranny. Dear Lord Jesus show Yourself great you came as savior first but you will come as judge next. Let all those who come against you know the truth. Every knee shall bow and worship you. Help them awake and be saved even and especially Joseph Biden. Bans were given to the unlawful Muslims not to the law abiding ones. Lord your law is above all and You alone can save America in Jesus name Amen.

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Aretha
October 13, 2020

Wow! Talk about desperate. He also promised he would pass the Equality Act. He will promise the moon to get votes! LORD GOD, I pray for the lineage of Ishmael from Abraham that the Holy Spirit will draw the Muslim people to the LORD Jesus Christ.

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HelenRose Nichols
October 13, 2020

I find this extremely interesting, but not surprising. The culture I grew up had a saying, “you speak with a forked tongue.” Whatever is convenient at the moment comes out of your mouth, and fifteen minutes later another conflicting comment comes out as truth. Senator Biden has spent a lifetime doing this and he has kept getting elected to the highest political offices of this land, now he wants to be the President of the United States of America. I would say, shame on us for electing him over and over and over and over. We have just listened to his political electoral nonsense, instead of looking at what and who he really is. So it is not a surprise that he is being used politically, in his diminished mental state. If he is elected in a few days, I wonder how long he will live. I am grieved to my bones over this, I weep until no more tears come; God have mercy on us.

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Barbara Hesch
October 13, 2020

Could you just imagine this? Let’s go back 19 years ago to the year 2001 right after 9/11. Would they have been so bold then to make this video? Of course not! They’re not that stupid, but I have to say that we’ve been stupid. We did not take the 9/11 attack as a sign that we were under judgement. We were supposed to repent of our nation’s sins but we did not. We welcomed the enemy into our government, schools, churches and so on. They have been emboldened by people like Joe Biden. Let’s pray that they all fail in taking down our country as we His people continue to repent, out loud!

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Brian
October 13, 2020

Lord Jesus, please intervene in our upcoming election. I pray fervently, that You would cause this misguided man to be stopped dead in his tracks.You alone know the big picture regarding who needs to be our President. Please don’t allow this ungodly, evil, radical stooge be elected!

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Ramona Kinash
October 13, 2020

In the mighty Name of Jesus I bind all false religions from infiltrating our government. I set boundaries around our government which was founded on Christian-Judeo principles, not the Muslim faith! I cut, kill, several & destroy any Muslim seed, fruit or root that has been allowed to grow in our government!

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Barbara
October 13, 2020

An example needs to be made so this will not happen again. The boldness of those employees who participated in the making of this video need to be shown the door and replaced with people who will stick to the rules and not jeopardise the existence of VOA. We have had enough of lies and hypocrisy in media. It’s time for that to change.

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Mel Teoh
October 13, 2020

Father God:
Please allow discernments to the people who will see that ad so that they can vote for LIFE .. ending ABORTION and SEX CHANGED by TAX DOLLAR $. We pray for those people who have decide to abort and have sex change for their salvation so that they can realize the sin that they’re about to do. In Jesus name. Amen.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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Hilda F. Clark
October 13, 2020

I am a palled and outraged at hearing about Biden speaking up for the Muslims and supporting them it’s a shame and disgrace and should be notified immediately and Withdrawn.

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Rolanda Shrader
October 13, 2020

LORD, open the eyes of the blind to see the darkness that this man will let in our nation for the destruction of our religious freedom. Freedom to do what is right. His agenda is the destruction of American. We call upon You Almighty God for help for where does our help come from but YOU.

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