GOP Rep. Salazar Accuses Reporters of Being ‘Infiltrated by an Ideology,’ Tells Them to Move On from McCarthy

Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) lashed out at the media outside a House GOP meeting on Wednesday, telling reporters to move on from questions about recent controversies swirling around House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

After it was pointed out that she herself was a journalist, Salazar ripped into the reporters and dubbed the media a “problem” in the U.S. today. Salazar worked as a journalist for over 30 years, something she mentioned multiple times in her criticism.

“I did this job for 35 years and I loved being a journalist,” she said accusing today’s media as being “infiltrated by an ideology.”

“We have a problem in this country with the news media because the news media is now … we’re not doing our job,” she said. “You know why? Because maybe we have been infiltrated by an ideology that I don’t agree with.”

Salazar then blamed reporters for focusing on “what’s not important” and only caring about headlines.

The “real threat” the media should be focused on, she claimed, is the threat of socialism and neo-Marxism. She later mentioned other crises, like the Southern border.

“There is a moment of reckoning,” she said. “Don’t you feel responsible that what you guys are covering is not what the American people need to hear?”

Salazar then lashed out at Rep. Nancy Pelosi and said no one is “asking” her “what she knew” before January 6, then quickly noted that journalists were leaving “because you guys don’t want to hear what I’m saying.”

When Salazar finally did answer one of the questions lodged at her about McCarthy, she defended the GOP leader.

McCarthy has been facing criticism following the recent release of audio recordings revealing that he privately condemned former President Donald Trump days after the January 6 Capitol riot. McCarthy said the statements were false in an initial response, which has only added to further scrutiny as audio refuted his denial.

“People change their minds. Things happen,” Salazar said of McCarthy, adding that the Capitol riot was “despicable,” but it’s time to “move forward.” She argued the media doesn’t want to move on because it “doesn’t produce headlines.”

Later in the press conference, Salazar described journalism as “the most noble profession in the world.”

“It worries me what’s happening in the newsrooms of America because I belonged to the American School of Journalism, and it was impeccable. It was impartial,” she said.

In a Thursday tweet, Salazar retweeted a clip of her remarks and said she stands by them, adding that today’s media has “more activists than journalists.”

And I meant every word.

Today’s media has more activists than journalists. We should always be chasing the truth.. not headlines! https://t.co/u1fleyoGoP

— María Elvira Salazar (@MaElviraSalazar) April 28, 2022