News Corp. donates additional $250K to RGA

The New York Times notes that according to recently-filed disclosure reports, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. -- through subsidiary News America -- has donated an additional $250,000 to the Republican Governors Association, “bringing [News America's] total contribution for the year to $1.25 million.”

According to RGA disclosures filed the evening of October 15 with the IRS, this most recent contribution was made on July 14.

At the News Corp. annual shareholders meeting, which took place the morning of October 15, Murdoch came under fire for the company's contributions of $1 million each to the RGA and the Chamber of Commerce.

Responding to shareholders' questions, Murdoch said the donations were “unusual” and “in the interest of our shareholders and the country.” Murdoch also said that it is “in the interest of the country and of all the shareholders ... that there be a fair amount of change in Washington.”

News Corp.'s additional $250,000 contribution to the RGA -- having not yet been publicly disclosed by the RGA in IRS filings -- was unknown to shareholders at the time of the annual meeting.

Murdoch and the board of directors did not offer information about the additional RGA donation that morning.