Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) on Thursday accused Comcast of trying to keep conservative pundit Glenn Beck’s network, The Blaze, off of television.
During a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on the Comcast-Time Warner merger, Gohmert floated the theory that Comcast while Comcast launched Al Jazeera America, the company refused to let The Blaze purchase a network it owned.
“Al Gore was pushing the sale of Current TV, and Glenn Beck, the Blaze were trying to buy it. And it was reported that Al Jazeera wanted to get their Sharia law push into the United States, and they were willing to pay big bucks, regardless of whether they had oil and carbon all over the money,” Gohmert began.
“They were willing to pay big dollars but they wouldn’t do the deal unless Comcast was willing to keep them in its list of networks provided. So it was reported Comcast agreed, so Al Gore got all that oil and carbon based money. And then, that kept Glenn Beck off the air. Of Comcast,” he continued.
Gohmert then began to talk about an unnamed network, which Comcast executive vice president David Cohen later said was likely RL-TV.
“Then more recently, the Blaze has been trying to purchase another network that was reported to owe $20 million to Comcast. But that the feeling by some within Comcast was so strong about keeping Glenn Beck off the air, that some reportedly were willing to forgo $20 million that The Blaze offered to pay of this network’s debt owed to Comcast, just to keep them off the air,” Gohmert said.
He read an email from someone at the unnamed network, which insinuated that Comcast officials didn’t want The Blaze on air leading up to the 2014 elections.
When Gohmert asked Cohen for a comment on his theory, the Comcast executive said that “there is no judgement being made” about The Blaze. He also noted that Comcast only has eight percent ownership of RL-TV, and therefore doesn’t have control over who buys the network.
Gohmert responded to Cohen with skepticism.
“Cohen you’re a smart man and apparently a smart attorney. You understand the consequences of not speaking truthfully before Congress?” he asked.
“I do,” Cohen responded.
Watch the video via The Wire:
[H/t The Wire]
