Fox News Addresses Hosts’ 1/6 Texts to Mark Meadows: ‘All Say They Stand By What They Texted’
Fox News has acknowledged – on air – the text messages that three hosts sent to Trump chief-of-staff Mark Meadows during the January 6th Capitol riot.
Fox News congressional reporter Chad Pergram appeared on multiple Fox News shows on Tuesday to report that Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Brian Kilmeade all texted Meadows asking him to get then-President Donald Trump to tell his supporters to leave the Capitol.
Donald Trump Jr., who is a frequent guest on Fox News, texted Meadows in a similar fashion. that day.
The texts were read aloud by Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) at a Monday hearing of the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot. Soon after, the committee voted unanimously to recommend criminal contempt of Congress charges against Meadows.
Neither Hannity nor Ingraham addressed the story on their shows on Monday. Kilmeade also omitted mention of it, on Tuesday’s Fox & Friends.
Pergram appeared on Special Report with Bret Baier, who noted that “in addition to the texts from Don Jr., texts were read by the January 6th committee sent to Meadows urging him to speak to President Trump getting him to intervene as the capitol riot unfolded. Texts as well from Fox’s Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and Brian Kilmeade that day.”
“That’s right,” Pergram replied. “Laura Ingraham told Meadows the president needs people at the Capitol to go home. On the air that night, she said while you couldn’t tell at the time who was in the crowd she also said the attacks did the opposite of showing support for the president. And she said there was no license for violence or chaos. Laura, Sean and Brian all say they stand by what they texted to Meadows privately and what they talked about on the air publicly.”
Baier concluded by stating, “I’m told Sean and Laura on their shows at 9 and 10pm eastern will address this in depth tonight.”
On January 6th, Hannity texted Meadows, “Can he make a statement, ask people to leave the Capitol?”
Meanwhile, Ingraham, wrote, “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home…This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”
And Kilmeade texted, “Please, get him on TV. Destroying everything you have accomplished.”
Watch above via Fox News.
