‘He’s Busy Committing War Crimes’: Dan Abrams Explains What’s Wrong with Nicolle Wallace’s Idea That Fox News Should Threaten to Sue Putin

Dan Abrams has an answer for Nicolle Wallace, who asked on Monday why Fox News does not sue the Kremlin for its use of Tucker Carlson on Russian state television. According to one report, the networks are doing so at the direction of Putin’s government.

Mediaite’s founder reminded her Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently engaged in an unlawful invasion of Ukraine, where his forces are committing “war crimes.”

Carlson has been notably noncommittal, if not apathetic since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began last month. Some of his monologues have been biting in their criticism of Ukraine’s government.

On Deadline: White House on Monday, Wallace asked, with a straight face, why Fox News has not sent Russia a “cease and desist” letter to try to prevent the Kremlin from using Fox News clips.

Addressing Bobby Ghosh, Wallace invoked her previous campaign work while making the point that TV networks do not want their personnel featured in political ads.

She said,

I have not seen Fox News send a cease and desist letter to the Kremlin to say, “Do not air an American broadcaster, and our most prominent, highest-rated one at that.” He is the crown jewel of Fox News. There’s been no cease and desist letter to the Kremlin to not run Tucker Carlson’s clips. Why not?”

Abrams, an attorney, answered Wallace’s question on NewsNation’s Dan Abrams Live.

“Now, those who watch the show regularly know I have blasted Tucker Carlson for his pro-Russia commentary, which often involves equating the United States’ actions and motives with those of Putin,” Abrams said. “But is Nicolle Wallace actually calling out Fox News for not sending a civil law, cease and desist legal letter to the Kremlin?”

He then offered a response for why such a pointless action might be a waste of time, not only for Fox, but for Putin.

“Maybe because he’s busy committing war crimes, ignoring calls from the international community to stop murdering civilians and enduring the toughest sanctions imaginable,” Abrams said.

Abrams argued that a legal demand from the U.S. to a Russian “might not be particularly impactful,” before he opined that Wallace had put Ghosh in a “terrible spot” by asking him to comment on such an “absurd suggestion.”

“They could just come out and say comments are being misused if they want to, without sending a cease and desist letter,” Abrams concluded. “I can just picture the process server trying to find Putin to deliver the letter, ‘Excuse me, I have an American legal letter for one Vladimir Putin, do you know where I might find him?'”

Watch above, via NewsNation.