Sean Hannity claimed he was kidding when he suggested Russia-investigation witnesses smash their phones “into little itsy-bitsy pieces” because Hillary Clinton did it. But the "joke" from Trump’s Bedtime BFF was still a blatant wink at obstructing justice on Dear Leader’s behalf.
In his opening monologue last night, Hannity worked this latest effort to undermine the rule of law into his usual Groundhog Day monologue:
HANNITY: Meanwhile, as the Mueller witch hunt churns on, the special counsel – this is interesting - they are demanding that witnesses turn in their phones so Team Mueller and, of course, his pit bulls Andrew Weissmann and Jeannie Rhee, who worked for Clinton — get to review all of their electronic communications. He wants the phones turned over. Even texts that are on what are called encrypted apps, like WhatsApp or Signal, or one of these things.
Now, maybe Mueller’s witnesses - I don’t know, if I advised them to follow Hillary Clinton’s lead: delete all your emails and then acid wash the emails and the hard drives on the phones. Then take your phones and bash ‘em with a hammer into little, itsy-bitsy pieces, use bleach bit, remove the SIM cards, and then take the pieces and hand it over to Robert Mueller, and say, "Hillary Rodham Clinton, this is equal justice under the law.”
How do you think that would work out for everybody who Mueller is demanding their phones of tonight? Now I’m certain the result would not be the same as Hillary’s.
Yes, Hannity was being facetious. But the message was unmistakable: The legal system let Hillary Clinton get away with destroying evidence (which is not what happened) so why should Trumpers to have to comply?
Later in the show, Hannity explicitly said he was kidding – even as he doubled down on the same messaging:
HANNITY: Mueller wants everyone’s cell phones. My advice to them, not really, kidding, bad advice - would be, follow Hillary’s, you know, lead.
[…]
HANNITY: Delete ‘em, acid wash ‘em, bust ‘em up, take out the SIM cards and here: little pieces, “Here Mr. Mueller. Here, I’m following Hillary’s lead.”
[...]
HANNITY: Boom, boom, boom. Crack it up and have a little piece and say “Here, Mr. Mueller, courtesy of Hillary.”
Watch Hannity prove that he has not changed much since the days when he promoted racist rancher Cliven Bundy’s armed insurrection against the United States below, from the June 6, 2018 Hannity show.
This old, Long Island hawk should know by now that people have already tagged him. It’s too late to backtrack. The dog is out of the house.
It’s time for Pie to face the music-he’s going down. And we will make sure that his producers and associate producers at this demonic network go down with him-we have names-Fresci girl.
NOTE TO FUTURE FORMER FOX “NEWS” HOST HANNITY
Private conversations are no longer private. KARMA!!
Destroying phones in this context could be a waste of time anyhow. Any email contained on them is likely also saved on a server somewhere. Ditto phone records of calls. All of this, I assume, is subject to subpoena from the hosts of said data.