During the April 12 edition of Fox News' Your World, Jonathan Hoenig, the managing member of Capitalistpig Asset Management LLC, asserted that the U.S. economy would be unable to “thrive” in the event that convicted September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui is not summarily executed. Hoenig was responding to a question from host Neil Cavuto, who asked Hoenig and radio host Herman Cain for their thoughts on whether the outcome of the Moussaoui trial, currently in the defense phase, will have an effect on the stock market. Hoenig responded: “If I had my way, you'd bring him out back, put a bullet in his head, and toss him in the dumpster,” adding, “This is an evil monster and I just don't see how society can prosper or the economy can prosper, if this guy lives.”
As Media Matters for America has previously noted, Your World and other Fox News business programs have frequently posited the effects of numerous current events on the U.S. economy or stock market:
- During a panel discussion on the effect of politics on the Dow Jones Industrial Average during the July 22, 2004, edition of Your World, Fox News business contributor Meredith Whitney said, “As [Senator John] Kerry's numbers increase, the market seems to go down on almost a one-for-one correlation” -- an erroneous claim for which she provided no evidence. Nonetheless, Fox News business analyst and contributor Scott Bleier “totally” agreed.
- On the March 24, 2005, edition of Your World, Michael Norman, Fox News business contributor and founder of Economic Contrarian Update, compared judicial rulings in the Terri Schiavo case to “malicious prosecution” of the insurance industry and warned that "[i]t's starting to constrain the economy" and "[u]ltimately, it will be dangerous to the stock market."
- As a promotion for the December 10, 2005, edition of Fox News' Bulls & Bears, the leading program in Fox News' Saturday business lineup, which includes Cavuto on Business, Fox aired a screen capture of Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean delivering a speech, superimposed over a stock market ticker. The onscreen text read: “Liberals on Iraq: Bad for America & Stocks?”
From the April 12 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto:
CAVUTO: So, is this an important reminder of just what is at stake in this ongoing war on terror? With us now, Jonathan Hoenig of Capitalistpig Asset Management and syndicated radio talk show host Herman Cain. Herman, what do you think?
CAIN: I don't think it's going to impact the market. As painful as it is to relive some of these testimonies, I think it does two things: First, it reminds us that this war on terror is ongoing. So, I don't think there's an immediate impact on the market, but some people need to be reminded that this war is ongoing, and that they should not forget 9-11, 2001.
CAVUTO: Jonathan?
HOENIG: Neil, Moussaoui is evil, and this chilling testimony, whether it be from the World Trade Center or from the [United Flight 93] cockpit, it puts in front of you the face of evil. And I think the market will be worried, to be honest, if he gets off. I mean, an economy can't thrive --
CAVUTO: Well, there's no chance of that.
HOENIG: Well, if --
CAVUTO: The only issue here is whether he's -- life in prison or death.
HOENIG: I think if -- well, he should be put to death. To be honest, I'm surprised we're giving him the courtesy of the trial, Neil. If I had my way, you'd bring him out back, put a bullet in his head, and toss him in the dumpster. This is an evil monster, and I just don't see how society can prosper or the economy can prosper, if this guy lives.
