Democratic lawmaker says Barr’s reported meeting with Murdoch should be investigated

Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.) suggested Friday that Attorney General William Barr’s reported meeting with media giant Rupert Murdoch this week should be investigated by lawmakers.

Murdoch, the chairman of Fox, and Barr met at Murdoch’s New York home on Wednesday night, The New York Times reported. It is unclear what the duo discussed, with aides to both men declining to comment to the newspaper earlier this week.

“What the hell is the attorney general of the United States doing meeting with the head of Fox?” Rouda, who sits on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said during an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Dean Obeidallah Show” on Friday.{mosads}

“And for what purpose could that possibly be, especially in light of the fact this is happening exactly at the same time the president of the United States is saying Fox News isn’t being kind enough to him?” the Democratic lawmaker added.

Rouda suggested that lawmakers should look into the meeting, adding, “I think it is within our purview because we want to know.”

“I think it is within our [The House Oversight Committee’s] purview… “What the hell is the Attorney General of the United States doing meeting with the head of Fox [News]?”@RepHarley Rouda tells @DeanObeidallah of AG Bill Barr’s private meeting with Rupert Murdoch. pic.twitter.com/zYUw7Ox9Nt

— SiriusXM Progress (@SXMProgress) October 12, 2019

The California Democrat noted President Trump’s comments from Thursday in which Trump declared that Fox News “doesn’t deliver for us anymore” and knocked the network’s polling after its latest survey showed growing support for his impeachment and removal from office.

Spokespeople for Murdoch and Barr did not immediately respond to requests for comments from The Hill on Saturday.