Media Matters Daily Summary

Here are today's news items from Media Matters for America, click on the title or 'read more' to read the entirety of each story. Doocy advances false claim that VA county immigration law lowered crime rates On Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy and guest Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County, Virginia, board of supervisors, falsely claimed that the county's controversial immigration law reduced violent crime and has never been altered. In fact, Prince William County's violent crime rates actually increased in 2009; the law was modified in 2008 to avoid legal challenges; and a University of Virginia study of the law shows that it has not led to a reduction in crime. Read More Right-wing media push Kyl's flatly denied claim that Obama said he won't "secure the border" Right-wing blogs have seized on Sen. Jon Kyl's (R-AZ) claim that President Obama is refusing to "secure the border" in order to force the GOP to support comprehensive immigration reform -- a claim the White House has since flatly denied. Indeed, the Obama administration has already taken numerous steps to boost border security but argues that "truly securing the border will require a comprehensive solution," which is a view shared by immigration experts as well as several Republicans. Read More Despite contractor corruption, Beck and Napolitano back use of "private army" in Afghanistan Glenn Beck and Andrew Napolitano endorsed the idea of a "private army," with Beck claiming there are "private individuals that could probably take care of things in Afghanistan better." In fact, in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. government has made widespread use of private contractors who have been accused of waste and fraud and been allegedly implicated in the deaths of military personnel and civilians. Read More "Is this what we fought the Nazis for?": Beck's staunch defense of big corporations with big problems Glenn Beck has repeatedly rushed to the defense of corporations and corporate executives that have been widely criticized for recklessness, corporate greed, and alleged violations of federal laws. Beck has specifically defended BP, AIG executives, and Toyota. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.