Jen Psaki Has Something To Say To Fox News Anchors About The January 6 Riots
After the riots that took place at the Capitol on January 6th, Fox News found itself in the middle of the conversations surrounding the events. According to The Guardian, a suspect arrested following the riots blamed the news network for his involvement.
Anthony Antonio, who is now facing several charges of violent entry, disorderly conduct, and impeding law enforcement during civil disorder, said he spent months leading up to the riots watching the network while he was unemployed. His lawyer made a statement that read, "Fox television played constantly," he added, "He became hooked with what I call 'Foxitis' or 'Foxmania', and became interested in the political aspect and started believing what was being fed to him."
While they have been at the center of the debate following the riots, the network has refused to air anything regarding the special committee assembled to investigate the event (via the Independent). However, while they attempted to bury breaking information about some of their most popular host's private messages that have come out during the committee meetings, they made a big mistake.
Jen Psaki didn't hold back
During the special committee's meetings, they uncovered personal text messages from Fox News hosts, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingrahm, to former chief of staff, Mark Meadows (via Deadline). In the texts, the hosts had an issue with Trump's lack of commentary on the riots, but on their shows, they seemed to brush over the unrest.
They attempted to bury the news of these text messages, failing to address them on the network, they aired White House spokesperson Jen Psaki's briefing instead, as news watchers noted on Twitter. At that moment, she spoke about these text messages (via the Independent).
Psaki said, "It's disappointing and unfortunately not surprising that some of the very same individuals who were willing to warn, condemn and express horror over what happened ... in private were totally silent in public, or worse, spreading lies and conspiracy theories."
In these texts, Ingrahm said, "The president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy," while Hannity said, "Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol?" While the hosts themselves wanted to ignore the release of these messages, Psaki put them on blast unintentionally to their viewers.