Stories linking Harry Reid's son to a Chinese solar company wanting to build on disputed Nevada grazing land have been "debunked," says Dana Perino, co-host of Fox News Channel's
"The Five."
Perino also dismissed any conspiracy theories about Bureau of Land Management Director Neil Kornze, who was formerly a senior policy adviser to Reid.
Co-host Eric Bolling brought up the
stories, which have been reported by various conservative websites but not by the major media, including Fox News. The stories said that Reid's oldest son, Las Vegas lawyer Rory Reid, has Chinese energy giant ENN Energy Group as a client.
ENN is seeking to build a solar energy plant in Nevada, and some stories report that land grazed by rancher Cliven Bundy's cattle was targeted by the company.
Bolling asked Perino about the stories, and Perino simply replied that they had been debunked, without explaining further. She also said insinuations that Kornze's former boss influenced his decisions at BLM were unfair.
Kornze was confirmed by a bipartisan Senate, she noted, adding, "There are good staffers out there."
"I think wishful thinking is one of conservatives' worst enemies," she said.
Perino did, however, say that Reid was wrong to insert himself into the debate over Bundy's land claims. Reid had said citizens cannot disobey the law and get away with it, adding, "It's not over."
The
BLM backed off efforts to seize Bundy's cattle on Saturday and returned most of those already seized after hundreds of Bundy supporters showed up, vowing to fight agents who attempted to go after the remaining herd.