New Forbes Report: Cruz’s Podcast Deal “Fueling Ethics Concerns”
AUSTIN, Texas – Yesterday a report in Forbes raised ethical concerns about Ted Cruz’s podcast deal with iHeartMedia, after a Cruz-linked Super PAC reported $215,000 in revenue from the company.
Despite a Cruz spokesperson claiming that there was “no difference between [Cruz’s] podcast airing on iHeartMedia or him appearing on network television,” according to Forbes, iHeartMedia “sells the advertising inventory for the podcast and the revenue the super PAC reported is ‘associated with those advertising sales.’”
By Molly Bohannon
A super PAC affiliated with Sen. Ted Cruz reported receiving $215,000 in “digital revenue” from iHeartMedia on Wednesday—despite a spokesperson for the Republican from Texas previously denying there was an ethical issue with the company producing his podcast and saying it was no different from Cruz appearing on a cable news show.
In a Wednesday filing with the Federal Election Commission, the Truth and Courage PAC, which is dedicated to “supporting Ted Cruz’s reelection to the U.S. Senate,” reported receiving $214,752.98 from iHeartMedia Management Services in February.
Rachel Nelson, vice president of public relations at iHeartMedia subsidiary Premiere Networks, told Forbes that Cruz volunteers his time and is not paid, but the company sells the advertising inventory for the podcast and the revenue the super PAC reported is “associated with those advertising sales.”
In 2022—shortly after Cruz and iHeartMedia entered a partnership in which the company markets and produces his podcast, “Verdict”—the Campaign Legal Center watchdog group filed a complaint against Cruz and asked the Senate ethics committee to investigate whether the deal violated a federal law barring senators from receiving gifts from registered lobbyists.
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