Media Research Center reports that there was 17 times more coverage of the Chris Christie bridge scandal in one day on the news networks than stories devoted to reporting on the IRS scandal.

Washington Examiner:

The Big Three networks, in a frenzy over New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's traffic headache dubbed "Bridgegate," have devoted a whopping 34 minutes and 28 seconds of coverage to the affair in just the last 24 hours. By comparison, that's 17 times the two minutes, eight seconds devoted to President Obama's IRS scandal in the last six months, according to an analysis by the Media Research Center. "While routinely burying new stories on the IRS scandal, the media practically fell over themselves to start taking shots at the potential 2016 Republican presidential nominee," said the conservative media watchdog. Since Wednesday night, NBC News included six reports over 14 minutes and 14 seconds. CBS devoted five reports over 12 minutes and 27 seconds. ABC managed 4 stories over seven minutes and 47 seconds, said MRC. As a comparison over the last six months, NBC featured five seconds on updating the IRS story. CBS responded with a minute and 41 seconds. ABC produced a meager 22 seconds.

Well...as long as they have their priorities straight, right?

Part of the problem is that the IRS is old news and the Christie scandal is a breaking story. Still, the idea that there's nothing happening with the IRS scandal is absurd. Several congressional committees have held hearings the last 6 months as congress continues to try to get to the bottom of what happened.

You would think that the potential abuse of power by the White House in the IRS scandal would elicit at least passing interest by the press. After all, an article of impeachment was drawn up against Richard Nixon for his use of the IRS for political purposes. This is not to say that an impeachable offense has been committed, but wouldn't it be interesting and newsworthy to find out what the president knew and when he knew it?

The bridge scandal is serious and potentially damaging to Chris Christie's chances to be the GOP nominee for president. But ignoring a scandal that hasn't bottomed out yet involving the IRS and the abuse of power would seem to prove that a double standard exists.

Just don't expect the media to do anything about it.





