Fox News host Sean Hannity rewrote the history of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment on Thursday night by claiming he was impeached “over one hearsay whistleblower.”
In reality, the House impeached the former president because Trump made the disbursement of military aid to Ukraine contingent on the country investigating the Biden family, especially Hunter Biden, who from 2014 to 2019 served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
On Hannity, the host welcomed guests Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Jim Jordan (R-OH). Earlier in the day, they questioned witnesses during the first hearing of the House’s new select committee on the alleged “weaponization” of the federal government.
Jordan has claimed for months that “dozens” of FBI “whistleblowers” have approached his office and alleged the federal government is being used to target conservatives.
“Congressman Jordan, you know we had an impeachment of a president over one hearsay whistleblower,” Hannity alleged. “You said you’ve never seen anything like this in your life.”
Hannity’s statement is patently false.
Two whistleblowers – both intelligence officials – came forward in August and October 2019 regarding Trump’s phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The second whistleblower had firsthand knowledge of the call.
Much more critically, in September 2019, the White House released a transcript of the call showing that Trump did indeed seek a quid pro quo from Ukraine, whereby his
“I would like you to do us a favor,” Trump told Zelensky, before asking the Ukrainian president to “look into” the Bidens. Zelensky obliged.
Days before the phone call, Trump ordered the aid to Ukraine withheld. After some uproar, Trump reinstated the aid. In December 2019, the House impeached him, but the Senate failed to convict.
Ukraine’s probe into the Bidens eventually uncovered no evidence of wrongdoing.
After Hannity made his untrue claim about Trump’s first impeachment, Jordan replied, “You’re exactly right, Sean.”
Watch above via Fox News.