On Thursday, all of Washington, D.C. and every liberal news outlet was obsessed with a pair of early morning tweets sent out by President Trump. In the tweets, Trump egregiously mocked Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski by claiming she had a face lift. But there was also some good being done in D.C. that day. In two bipartisan votes, the House passed both Kate’s Law and a measure to punish sanctuary cities. But viewers of ABC and CBS would not have known about them since they omitted it from their coverage, while NBC gave it less than 30 seconds.
Collectively, the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) dedicated a total of 12 minutes and 14 seconds to Trump’s attack against the MSNBC personality. ABC’s World News Tonight gave the tweet three minutes 45 seconds, CBS Evening News a whopping five minutes 29 seconds over two different segments, and NBC Nightly News set aside three minutes. All of them led their evening news program with Trump’s tweets.
The more important development of the day was a pair of laws passed by Congress that were designed to protect American citizens. Anchor Lester Holt was the only one to mention the passage of the laws, but only in this mere 26-second news brief:
Meantime, in Congress today, the House passed legislation to crack down on illegal immigration, one of President Trump's top priorities. One of the bills called Kate's Law would impose harsher prison sentences on deportees who come back into the U.S. illegally. The other bill passed would strip federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities that shield undocumented immigrants from federal immigration authorities. The bills now go to the Senate.
Holt seemed to lament the passage of the bill, which says a lot since he and the rest of the networks were often quick to find and tout people who would benefit from bills passed by Democrats. That’s what Fox News’ Special Report did with their full segment on the laws.
“Bypassing Kate's law and a bill that punishes sanctuary cities, House Republicans whose campaigns include promises to get tough on illegal immigrants got a win,” prefaced Peter Doocy before his report. “But there are many families whose lives have been torn apart by the current system who are still feeling a deep sense of loss tonight.”
Doocy noted the story of Laura Wilkerson, who’s “son Joshua was killed after being beaten and set on fire by someone in this country illegally.” “Now, Republicans in Congress say they are trying to prevent any more pain like that,” he added. According to Doocy, Kate’s Law was designed to place harsher punishments “on illegal immigrants who commit crimes, get deported, and come back.” The bill’s namesake, Kate Steinle, was murdered by an illegal immigrant who was deported five times before he shot the innocent woman.
“The GOP introduced a bill to give cities a choice. Follow federal immigration laws or lose federal funds,” he said of the second bill. The bill cracking down on sanctuary cities was touted by the head of the Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly. “I’m offended when members of this institution exert pressure and often threaten me and my officers to ignore the laws,” Kelly emphasized during a press conference about the laws on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the nation's top two Spanish-language networks, Univision and Telemundo, titled the bills onscreen as “anti-immigrant measures.” For a change, Univision was less tilted in its coverage than rival Telemundo, at least including the perspective of a Mom whose son was killed at the hands of an unuathorized immigrant, and who was quoted saying “We are not against immigrants, nor trying to create hatred. We are just against the ones who are not supposed to be in the country.”
In wrapping up his report, Doocy mentioned that both bills passed with bipartisan support. “So, immigration, one of the most partisan issues in America, but 24 Democrats voted ‘Yes’ for Kate's Law and three Democrats voted ‘Yes’ on that measure to punish sanctuary cities,” he said.
It’s a shame that the Big Three Networks chose to ignore or downplay the rare showing of bipartisanship in a time of deep division. And it’s not like they didn’t have the time to report it, they instead just chose to cover silly things. ABC spend two news briefs reporting on a high-speed car chase and an impromptu wedding at a baseball game. CBS ended their program with a long report about a house for sale that was bisected by the U.S./Canada border. But the laws weren’t a part of the liberal agenda so it’s not a priority for them.
Transcripts below:
NBC Nightly News
June 29, 2017
7:06:10 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Meantime, in Congress today, the House passed legislation to crack down on illegal immigration, one of President Trump's top priorities. One of the bills called Kate's Law would impose harsher prison sentences on deportees who come back into the U.S. illegally. The other bill passed would strip federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities that shield undocumented immigrants from federal immigration authorities. The bills now go to the Senate.
Fox News
Special Report
June 29, 2017
6:16:46 PM Eastern(…)
PETER DOOCY: Bypassing Kate's law and a bill that punishes sanctuary cities, House Republicans whose campaigns include promises to get tough on illegal immigrants got a win. But there are many families whose lives have been torn apart by the current system who are still feeling a deep sense of loss tonight.
[Cuts to video]
LAURA WILKERSON: This was premeditated, planned, torture of my kid.
DOOCY: Laura Wilkerson’s son Joshua was killed after being beaten and set on fire by someone in this country illegally.
WILKERSON: I hope that no one else has to sit up here and tell how horribly their kid was tortured or murdered or killed by someone who shouldn't have been in this country.
DOOCY: Now, Republicans in Congress say they are trying to prevent any more pain like that.
PAUL RYAN: Sanctuary cities are putting lives at risk.
DOOCY: The GOP introduced a bill to give cities a choice. Follow federal immigration laws or lose federal funds.
BOB GOODLATTE: If you're going to receive taxpayer dollars from the federal government, to keep people safe, that you've got to follow the law.
DOOCY: The bill considered today, Kate's Law name for Kate Steinle, murdered by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco. Kate’s Law would crack down harder on illegal immigrants who commit crimes, get deported, and come back. And today, the DHS Secretary came to the Capitol with a warning for Democrats:
JOHN KELLY: I’m offended when members of this institution exert pressure and often threaten me and my officers to ignore the laws.
DOOCY: That line did not sit well with Democrats.
BENNIE THOMPSON: To have a difference of opinion on a matter is not a threat.
DOOCY: Democrats argue that punishing sanctuary cities could backfire.
(…)
DOOCY: While others argue the GOP is trying to discriminate and distract.
LUIS GUTIERREZ: Health care not going well? Let’s just hate some Mexicans today!
[Cuts back to live]
DOOCY: So, immigration, one of the most partisan issues in America, but 24 Democrats voted ‘Yes’ for Kate's Law and three Democrats voted ‘Yes’ on that measure to punish sanctuary cities. Now both move on to the Senate.
