Murdoch says Kasich friendship influenced $1 million donation

When Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association — the first of two significant contributions to help elect Republicans in November — a spokesman said that the media company provided the money because of the RGA's "pro-business agenda" and because the group supports "our priorities at this most critical time for our economy."

Apparently, there was another reason. Murdoch — whose company owns media outlets such as Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post — told Politico on Wednesday night that the RGA gift resulted from his friendship with Republican John Kasich, a former congressman and ex-Fox News host now running for governor in Ohio.

"It doesn't reflect on Fox News," Murdoch said. "It had nothing to do with Fox News. The RGA [gift] was actually [a result of] my friendship with John Kasich."

However, Democratic Governors Association believes there's a Fox News connection with the donation. "How deep does the rabbit hole go at Fox News?" the organization asked in a statement. "Pretty deep, apparently."

The DGA added that News Corp. "gave $1M to defeat Ohio 's Democratic governor and put one of its own hosts in control of one of the most important states for 2012."

Kasich, it should be noted, is no longer a host. However, the relationship between Fox News and Kasich — who hosted a weekend show until 2007 and later filled in for top-rated host Bill O'Reilly — has come up before in the gubernatorial race.

In March, I reported how Kasich receives a warm welcome and praise on his former network and how Ohio statehouse reporters were concerned that the national cable network was getting more access to the Republican candidate than they were. (Liberal watchdog Media Matters has documented several of Kasich's appearances on Fox News.)

After that article, O'Reilly called me a "dishonest pinhead" on air and claimed that I had implied he was "using Fox News to promote John Kasich for governor of Ohio." That wasn't the point I intended to make by briefly mentioning his introduction for Kasich.

But the DGA claims that O'Reilly's show may have benefited Kasich in August.

Last month, the Huffington Post reported that the DGA "filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission accusing the [Fox News] of making an illegal in-kind contribution" to Kasich's campaign. The DGA argued that Fox ran a graphic at the bottom of the screen during O'Reilly's show featuring Kasich's website address while the candidate solicited donations on-air.

The DGA, in Thursday's statement, said to "expect that complaint to be amended."

On Wednesday night, Murdoch also confirmed a $1 million donation to the Chamber of Commerce, the business lobbying group currently supporting Republican candidates in November elections. "We are members of the Chamber of Commerce, and I just thought I was being a good member," he told Politico.

A News Corp. spokesman declined to comment on Murdoch's statements. A Kasich spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

But perhaps the issue will come up Thursday night when Kasich debates his opponent, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.

(Press-pool photo of Kasich at a debate last month in Columbus, Ohio: AP/Chris Russell)