Cruz lashes out at Murdoch and Ailes

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz lashed out at Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes on Tuesday, accusing the Fox News media titans of being in the tank for GOP front-runner Donald Trump. 

{mosads}“Network executives have made a decision to get behind Donald Trump,” Cruz told reporters in Indiana. “Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes at Fox News have turned Fox News into the Donald Trump Network, 24-7.” 

Cruz said Murdoch, the Australian chairman of News Corp., which owns Fox News, has a history of meddling in foreign elections. Cruz on Tuesday accused Murdoch of using his media influence to put his thumb on the scale for Trump. 

“Rupert Murdoch has a history of picking world leaders in Australia and the United Kingdom running tabloids, and we’re seeing it here at home,” Cruz said. 

“The consequences for this nation — media executives are trying to convince Hoosiers, trying to convince Americans the race is decided … that you are stuck between Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, either one of which is a horrific choice,” he continued. “The people of Indiana can prove that wrong, and the country is depending on Indiana, and if Indiana does not act, this country could plunge into the abyss.” 

Fox News has a huge conservative audience, and Cruz is a frequent guest on several of the outlet’s shows. 

Media critics have pointed to the outsize coverage Trump has commanded, blaming ratings-hungry executives for giving too much exposure to the front-runner while ignoring the rest of the candidates. 

Cruz is desperately trying to overtake Trump in Indiana’s primary on Tuesday. A loss will make it very difficult for him to force a contested convention. 

Trump has also clashed with Fox News this cycle, boycotting one of its debates because he believes he was treated unfairly by anchor Megyn Kelly. 

The two are scheduled to conduct their first interview since the controversy later this month.