This is an important email. Please read.

Friend, since the murder of George Floyd and rise of protests across the country for racial justice, Fox News has repeatedly painted the misleading narrative that there is uncontrolled, violent unrest in our cities. Fox's fear mongering coverage has included images of destruction, looting, and chaos. They peddled conspiracy theories about [ANTIFA and the Black Lives Matters]( movement to their viewers. They warned that the violence would soon be on their doorstep; according to [Sean Hannity]( "no innocent person is safe". Tucker Carlson ominously [warned his viewers]( to "remember that when they come for you, and at this rate, they will." [The need for progressive, independent media has never been greater. We expose the lies that right-wing media outlets use to fuel their hate-filled agenda, then we deliver the facts and ways to take action in support of them. Help us continue our work by giving $5 to Daily Kos today.]( Then earlier this month, unbadged, paramilitary federal agents showed up on the streets of Portland, Oregon -- where for weeks there were peaceful protests. There were reports of these militarized police snatching protesters off the streets and taking them to undisclosed locations. The federal agents have incited violence and even tear-gassed the mayor of Portland. Turns out, Portland was just the test case; Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr just announced plans to send more heavily armed federal agents into Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Albuquerque; "[Operation Legend](." Other cities like Denver, Seattle and Atlanta are all anticipating they will be next to see heavily armed federal agents. Meanwhile, Fox News personalities like Sean Hannity have cheered on Trump for the actions against the protesters. It is not a coincidence that Trump's move to attack select cities followed the right-wing media spending weeks misleading it's audience about ongoing, widespread, uncontrolled civil unrest. This is all part of Trump's reelection strategy. His propaganda machine made up of Fox News, Breitbart and OAN terrify their audiences with misleading disinformation about civil unrest, blame Democrats for said civil unrest, and they paint Trump as the hero for taking decisive action to stop it. Never mind, of course, that Trump is actually the one inciting violence. Many media outlets have been rocked by the financial collapse in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, forcing a record number of layoffs in newsrooms. However, Fox News has been virtually unscathed. Fox had [record ratings in 2019](, [beat that record]( in the first quarter of 2020, had its [second-best month ever in April](, and just last month [scored its highest rated Saturday night ever]( with coverage of Trump's rally in Tulsa. While Fox is inevitably also impacted by the downturn in the advertising market caused by the pandemic, half of its revenue doesn't even come from advertising, and instead [comes from affiliate fees]( paid to Fox by cable companies for their large audience. This has left Fox in [a much stronger position]( than basically every other news media outlet in the country. While much of the rest of the news media is suffering record job losses, Fox News is able to continue churning out their pro-Trump propaganda, aiding his violent campaign and distributing his propaganda to a growing viewership. [Fox News and the rest of the conservative media machine will never change. They will continue to push their pro-Tump agenda of lies that fuels division, and this case, violence. This is why we need independent, progressive media like Daily Kos. We not only deliver the facts, but provide the tools so that our readers can take real, effective action to create change. Can you support our work by making a monthly contribution of $5?]( Keep fighting, Amanda McKay, Daily Kos If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. (Please note that we may be slow to process checks during the coronavirus outbreak.) Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.