Chanel Rion, One America News Network’s chief White House correspondent, took money last fall from Republicans to speak at a fundraising event in Illinois. The financial payment to Rion is yet another example of how OAN operates as a propaganda outlet. 

OAN is a cesspool of right-wing lies and toxic rhetoric. The network has recently pushed dangerous misinformation about COVID-19 and encouraged voter suppression. 

One of OAN’s main correspondents is Rion, a discredited conspiracy theorist and Trump supporter who has worked for the network since 2019. She has used her platform to push lies about the 2020 election supposedly being stolen, which has led to her being sued for defamation. Rion is also the Chief Marketing Officer for Voices & Votes, a nonprofit organization headed by OAN colleague Christina Bobb that wants to fraudulently “audit” the 2020 election that was won by President Joe Biden. OAN has frequently promoted Voices & Votes. 

Rion was a keynote speaker for a September 8, 2021, fundraiser for the Kane County Republican Central Committee in Illinois. The Republican organization paid Rion $2,000 for “Fund raising - entertainment” that day, according to a document filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Right-wing commentator Stephen Moore, who also spoke at the event, also received $2,000. 

DirecTV, OAN’s largest cable carrier, recently decided to drop the channel from its lineup in April. Verizon Fios TV will then become OAN’s largest carrier.