Elections

Leaked Email: Newsmax CEO Conspired With Podesta On Immigration Reform

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Files

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Hacked emails released Sunday by WikiLeaks show that the CEO of a conservative news outlet collaborated with Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta on what appears to be immigration reform.

“John, Thank you again for taking the time out to meet me this week, I really enjoyed our chat and meeting Celia, as well as saying hello to Denis,” Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy wrote in an email dated June 25, 2014 — presumably referring to President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough.

Ruddy, based on context clues in his email, seems to have been particularly interested in working with Podesta on immigration reform.

“I had a meeting with Mario Diaz Balart today who tells me the re whipping is not going well in terms of votes. He says that they really have been hurt by the Cantor loss. He still has some additional votes to review,” Ruddy wrote.

Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his Virginia primary in June 2014. Many attributed the defeat to Cantor’s support for comprehensive immigration reform — or what conservatives and his opponent Dave Brat ridiculed as “amnesty” for illegal immigrants.

Despite Cantor’s loss, some in Congress continued to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the House. Florida Republican Mario Diaz-Balart was one of the leaders of that movement. The effort ultimately failed.

Back in June 2014, however, it appears Ruddy and Podesta were working together to breath life back into the comprehensive immigration reform movement.

“He Is interested in proceeding,” Ruddy’s email reads. “We have agreed to cohost a meeting of conservative leaders likeely [sic] the week of July 7 in DC for him to lay out his concepts. Hopefully we can gauge reaction after that meeting as well. I will let you know what I am up to. If you have any suggestions for me please feel free to share them.”

While Ruddy is the head of a conservative news outlet, he has also publicly donated at least $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.

Ruddy did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.