Far-Right Media Scorch Fox News Over Support For McCarthy
@jacinahb
January 06 | 2023
Steve Bannon
As the House of Representatives continues to struggle to elect a speaker, Fox News has received backlash from its further right-wing media counterparts over what those critics describe as the network’s general support for Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy, (R-CA) who has so far lost the speaker vote eight times. Media figures from Real America’s Voice, One America News Network, and Newsmax, among others, claim that Fox News is engaging in a blind, embarrassing defense of the Republican establishment with its coverage of McCarthy.
The attacks against Fox intensified when Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert (R-CO) appeared on the January 4 edition of Fox host Sean Hannity’s show, where he pressed against her refusal to vote for McCarthy. (Boebert is one of the 20 House representatives-elect who are refusing to support McCarthy’s bid for speakership.) The network drew more criticism after Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade called House Republicans who oppose McCarthy “insurrectionists.”
- Newsmax’s Benny Johnson said Hannity’s “schtick” is to be “the Praetorian Guard of the establishment,” and called his on-air disagreement with Boebert “embarrassing,” because Johnson said McCarthy can’t win. [Newsmax, The Benny Report, 1/5/23]
- On former Trump aide Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, right-wing radio host John Fredericks accused Fox News of being “a 24/7 shill for Kevin McCarthy. That’s all they are. They’re not even reporting the news.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/5/23]
- Bannon said that Boebert “bench-pressed Hannity” during her interview and that “it was embarrassing.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/5/23]
- Bannon also claimed that Fox News is “out to crush” and “destroy” members of Congress who do not support McCarthy for speakership. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/5/23]
- During his show Outside the Beltway, Fredericks said that Fox News is full of “fakers” who have been “lying to you forever” and that the network is “a money-making machine” which “was a shill for McCarthy.” [Real America’s Voice, Outside the Beltway with John Fredericks, 1/5/23]
- On OAN, white nationalist podcasterStew Peters claimed that Fox News and its personalities are “melting down” over the speaker vote. [One America News Network, In Focus with Addison Smith, 1/4/23]
- The Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft called out Fox’s “controlled opposition,” which he said “came completely unglued” following Tuesday’s votes, as McCarthy had been “hand-picked by failed former Speaker and FOX News board member Paul Ryan before he left office.” [The Gateway Pundit, 1/4/23]
- Hoft also wrote that Hannity “jumped the shark” when he launched a “full frontal assault” on Boebert “for not supporting Kevin McCarthy.” [Twitter, 1/4/23]
- Infowars host Owen Shroyer called Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) “a new swamp creature” and mocked him for “hemming and hawing” and “stumping for McCarthy on Fox News.” [Infowars, The Alex Jones Show, 1/4/23]
- BlazeTV host Chad Prather complained that the “Fox News talking heads continue to shill for the GOP do-nothing establishment.” [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Michael Quinn Sullivan, publisher of right-wing blog Texas Scorecard, replied to Prather’s tweet, writing, “Fox News is now WORSE than CNN and MSNBC, because the Fox crew knows better.” [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Turning Point USA ambassador Alex Lorusso tweeted “Hannity is insufferable” following Boebert’s appearance on his show. [Twitter, 1/4/23]
- Right-wing host Todd Starns described Fox as “the propaganda wing of the McCarthy team.” [Twitter, 1/4/23]
- Anti-Muslim activist Brigitte Gabriel tweeted: “It’s pathetic to hear all the Fox News talking heads blaming and attacking the 20 Members of Congress opposing McCarthy.” [Twitter, 1/4/23]
- Former Newsmax host Emerald Robinson called Fox & Friends hosts “uniparty swamp rats” over their support for McCarthy. [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Right-wing personalities the Hodgetwins also attacked Fox and Friends for “calling people INSURRECTIONISTS if they don’t support Kevin McCarthy for speaker.” [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Women for Trump co-founder Amy Kremer tweeted that it was “sad to see” how Hannity treated Boebert on Fox News and that “she should be shown some respect.” [Twitter, 1/4/23]
- Hate preacher Greg Locke, who spoke at the January 5 “Rally for Revival” in Washington the night before the January 6 attack, tweeted, “The only difference between the corruption of CNN and Fox News is their logo.” [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Conspiracy hub National File called Hannity “a LYING BULLY. Just like Kevin McCarthy.” [Twitter, 1/5/23]
- Right-wing podcaster Mike Crispi called Hannity “a hack” and a “sellout.” [Twitter, 1/4/23]
Reprinted with permission from Media Matters.
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