A Fox News reporter had doggedly reported on President Donald Trump’s hush money payment to Stormy Daniels only to see it killed because Fox News co-chairman Rupert Murdoch wanted Trump to win, according to a New Yorker report.
The reporter, Diana Falzone, had the bulk of the story together and confirmed by October 2016, per the New Yorker. She had confirmation from Daniels, emails between Michael Cohen and Daniels’ attorney and even the contract Daniels signed. Fox editors punted it around the newsroom until the head of FoxNews.com, Ken LaCorte, allegedly told Falzon they wouldn’t publish the story.
“Good reporting, kiddo. But Rupert wants Donald Trump to win. So just let it go,” LaCorte reportedly said.
LaCorte denies this reporting, but one of Falzone’s colleagues confirmed to the New Yorker hearing that description of the conversation at the time.
Falzone did not give up, but kept digging and found out about Trump’s attempt to get the National Enquirer to make a “catch-and-kill” deal with Daniels. Fox News also blocked her from publishing that, per the New Yorker.
Soon after, Falzone was demoted without explanation. She sued the network, but the settlement includes an NDA.
Ultimately, the American public did not learn of the Daniels-Trump hush money payments and alleged affair until the Wall Street Journal broke the story — a full year after the Trump presidency had begun.
