The liberal political action committee MeidasTouch said Fox News rejected its ad denouncing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, so it encouraged people to retweet the commercial.
Brian Williams and MSNBC went one better on Monday, showing the spot for free to his viewers and sprinkling in some commentary. (See the video below.)
“We have a pretty good reach too, so we’ve chosen to air it tonight,” the anchor said. “While you watch, ask yourself what isn’t factual about it, which people in it aren’t real.”
The ad spotlights the deadly siege from the perspective of law enforcement defending the Capitol that day. Williams appears to be jabbing at those trying to downplay the insurrection, including Fox News.
The commercial serves as a powerful indictment of GOP deniers and others as officers recall the horror of what they faced from the pro-Trump mob that day. But Williams’ on-air endorsement packed extra punch.
“It’s about the attempt to overturn our election ― the insurrection of 1-6 ― and the story is told by those in the fight,” he said.
MeidasTouch asked to reserve nearly $185,000 of air time for Fox News between June 6 and June 15, including seven days on “Fox and Friends,” the Los Angeles Times reported. But the PAC told the newspaper it was informed on Friday that the ad would not run on the conservative channel.
A Fox News spokesperson said it wasn’t the first time the network had rejected a MeidasTouch ad.