Sean Hannity is facing new scrutiny over a lengthy series of text messages he had with Paul Manafort during both the Mueller investigation and the period around his sentencing. A federal judge unsealed a filing that contained the text messages and they are…….something.
You can scroll through the entire set of messages in the embedded document below, but one thing is abundantly clear—from July 2017 to June 2018, Hannity was frequently talking to Paul Manafort to offer his help in shaping coverage of the story. In Hannity’s own words, "If you ever talk, vent, grab dinner, strategize, whatever—I'm here." In fact, he made several offers to Manafort to “strategize.”
This is completely unacceptable. Can you imagine a scenario where Chris Hayes or Rachel Maddow of MSNBC were privately communicating with a former Obama or Clinton campaign staffer under criminal investigation? Communicating about how to shape coverage and provide assistance? It is unthinkable. Sean Hannity should immediately be fired from Fox News.
Other notable exchanges, include a text where he says of Robert Mueller, a man who spent 12 years as the head of the FBI, through both Republican and Democratic administrations and who served as a U.S. Marine in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a string of other medals, “fuck him, he’s a disgrace.”
As Marcy Wheeler notes, another interesting theme in the text messages are several exchanges where Hannity and Manafort are just so sure Mueller has evidence of criminal wrongdoing against Jared Kushner. Now, why would they think that?
Wheeler also flagged two other key exchanges. One that might get Manafort’s lawyer in hot water with the judge. Hannity tells Manafort to have his lawyer, who was under a gag order, to “send me stuff” on the case so he can discuss it on air. Manafort replies, “he will.”
At one point Manafort said Sessions had to get a different special prosecutor and Hannity tells him “He has to. He is gone. Talked to a friend.” Let’s see…...who do you think that friend was? What friend do they have in common. Thinking.
One last thing that struck me was the fact that these messages seem to show Hannity actually believes the drivel he pushes each night. I always thought it was an act, but it turns out, he’s really, truly just that dense.
You can peruse more than 50 pages of text messages between these two scoundrels. If nothing else, Hannity should be driven off the air. It is grossly inappropriate for him to be coordinating news coverage with someone involved in a federal criminal investigation.
The House Judiciary Committee has some new witnesses to call as well.
Manafort Logs by Jen Hayden on Scribd