Megyn Kelly hosted Rep. Darrell Issa last night to discuss the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder. And have no fear, Fox fans: Issa promised there would be no letup in his investigations of Holder even after he leaves office. Yet as the two strolled down the GOP memory lane of Holder attacks, for some reason, Kelly never mentioned her weeks-long obsession with Holder and the New Black Panther Party.
I have previously noted that Kelly has some kind of personal issue with Holder and much of it seems to be based on his race. As I wrote last month, when Kelly made a not-so-thinly-veiled race-baiting attack on Holder by questioning whether he could be “trusted to obtain justice in Ferguson”:
In 2010, Kelly (conducted) an orchestrated series of accusations – over at least 45 segments - that Holder had refused to prosecute some members of the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation because they’re black. Even though no voter intimidation had occurred.
… Kelly abruptly dropped her attacks once she was confronted on the air for her race baiting a phony story. The story was later discredited but Kelly - who advocates “personal responsibility” for others - didn’t seem to think she owed her viewers much of an explanation.
You’d think that Kelly – who calls herself a “straight news anchor” – would have mentioned that matter. If it was true, it was certainly worth mentioning as part of her rehash of Holder’s record. And if it was not true, it was certainly worth mentioning as an example of the right-wing’s deliberate racial targeting of Holder based on false pretenses. Especially as part of a discussion with as partisan an investigator as Issa. But no.
Not that Kelly didn't help denigrate Holder in other ways. In her introduction, she described Holder as “the nation’s first black attorney general” and “the first sitting cabinet member to be held in contempt of Congress after refusing to turn over documents subpoenaed the previous year by the committee headed by my next guest.” Thus she made that incident the most salient aspect of Holder’s career.
Her first question to Issa: “The Fast and Furious investigation is the one in which he was held in criminal contempt. A civil contempt case is still proceeding against him. Will it continue now that he’s leaving?”
“Yes, it will,” Issa assured. He went on to say that the “lie and cover-up” by the Department of Justice “led to the murder of Brian Terry.” Issa also said that the timing of Holder’s resignation was political and “says a lot about an attorney general who has politicized an office that is supposed to be the highest law enforcement officer in the land.”
Kelly never challenged any of Issa’s accusations. Instead, she began to slyly tie Holder to President Obama. First, she cited President Obama’s accolades for Holder: prosecuting terror cases and financial crimes, bringing down the crime and incarceration rates and advocating for voting rights.
That would have been the perfect moment for Kelly to bring up the New Black Panther Party matter. Don’t forget, in 45 different segments, Kelly accused Holder of failing to protect white voting rights as part of his pro-black political agenda. She did so by teaming up with a Republican activist whom she had dubbed a “whistle blower.” Again, Kelly either stands by her attacks or by her brief, later report that the DOJ had been cleared of wrongdoing and that “neither race nor politics played any role” in the DOJ’s decisions.
If it’s the former, Kelly should have (and almost certainly would have) mentioned such a blatant undercutting of President Obama’s praise. If it’s the latter, any “fair and balanced” “straight news anchor” would have pointed out how unfairly and improperly Holder has been falsely accused of politicization by Republicans in the past. Perhaps it would have been too much to ask for Kelly to own up to her own role in promoting such a falsehood.
Meanwhile, Kelly pressed the Holder/Obama tie. “Do you know that many people say that he is ideologically aligned perfectly with the president?” she asked Issa. “Many people believe if you want to know what President Obama really thinks, look to what Eric Holder thinks.” She cited a New York Times article calling Holder the “most prominent liberal voice” in the Obama administration.
Later, Issa brought up Holder’s pardoning of Marc Rich during the Clinton administration. “Biggest tax cheat ever, as O’Reilly described him!” Kelly quickly added.
And, while I have your attention, let me remind you of The Johnny Dollar Depreciation Society, filled with your daily adult requirement of Fox “News” snark.
https://www.facebook.com/TheJohnnyDollarDepreciationSociety
With all my love,
Aunty Em [for old time’s sake]
Well, I’m glad to hear that, Mr. “Maindrian Pace” Issa.
I think you and your fellow GOPpers continuing to investigate someone who’s left office — as opposed to taking up legislation — will work WONDERS for your party, especially during a midterm election . . .
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