Catherine Herridge, chief intelligence correspondent, is the latest “news” person to leave Fox News, presumably because its pro-Trump propaganda became too much to stomach. She will reportedly join CBS News as an investigative reporter.
Although Herridge's departure comes just three weeks after Shepard Smith's abrupt resignation, Variety reports her move is unrelated:
Her contract with Fox News lapsed this summer, and the network had been negotiating to get her to stay, according to a person familiar with the matter. She has not been known for jousting with the opinion programs, making frequent appearances on Fox News’ most-watched program, “Hannity.” The opportunity to move to CBS News was seen as one she could not turn down, this person said.
“Not been known for jousting with the opinion programs” is a kind description of Herridge's work, to put it mildly. The reality is that she has long served more as stenographer of Republican talking points than any kind of real reporter.
However, it's quite possible Herridge was not happy in her role. As Media Matters noted, she seemed to take a dig at Fox on her way out. In the CBS press release about her hire she was quoted as saying, “I feel privileged to join a team where facts and storytelling will always matter.” In the Fox News statement about her departure, her quote was, “I have received great personal satisfaction from mentoring the next generation of reporters and producers and sharing my journalistic values — that facts matter and enterprise reporting will always win the day.”
Other Fox News correspondents have also fled the network rather than be part of Trump TV. Carl Cameron was so disturbed by what was happening at Fox, he joined a left-wing website dedicated to fighting right-wing propaganda. He has been outspoken about Fox since. Conor Powell and Adam Housley also reportedly left over the Trump-ery.
I was going to suggest we call it the Foxodus but it turns out that's already a hashtag, and it's being used by conservatives who think the network has become too liberal.
(Herridge image via screen grab)
Updated 11/1/19 to reflect Herridge's title.
It’s truly unfortunate to see CBS caving in like this – the appropriate way to deal with someone who has committed so many journalistic transgressions would be to simply shun her. As it is, there is no reason to believe anything she says – given that she has so actively worked to mislead her viewers for so long.
Herridge is the piece of s—t repeatedly debunked on her #Benghazi crackpot conspiracy reporting for, among other things, total crap single sourcing. She’s also the piece of s—t behind the Hillary October Surprise where she claimed sources within the FBI told her Hillary was about to be indicted. In fact, again she singled sourced. In this case Guiliani who obviously had no connection with the FBI but was in the Trump campaign. Herridge’s lying worked and Hillary’s polls crashed right before the election.
Whenever I saw Herridge report news on Fox I assumed I was being lied to and was rarely disappointed. She routinely highly filtered her reports to spin hard to the right and emphasizes the red meat that gives her MAGA audience a huge hard-on.
When I first read about this on Twitter predictably the right-wing Fox News/MAGA reaction was crying and gnashing of teeth. They love Herridge and think she’s the greatest reporter ever born. Can there be a worst recommendation?
From Hollywood Reporter:
..the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought a federal lawsuit against the cable news network over its treatment of Herridge, who had worked as an on-air reporter there since 1996.
According to a declaration from Herridge in the case, she contacted Ailes in 2006 and complained to another programming executive about Fox’s refusal to give her a trial run as an anchor. Herridge said she was “suspicious” that Fox wasn’t giving her this opportunity as allegedly promised because she was then a 42-year-old female. The following year, Herridge reported a meeting with Ailes and expressed concern about the unfair treatment of women in the Washington, D.C., bureau. Herridge followed up by email, telling Ailes that he needed to hire a manager who would implement company HR policy.
Herridge stated in her declaration that practices at the office didn’t change, but she did get a trial run as a weekend anchor. Afterward, Herridge said she was informed that Fox wanted her to do more light news and entertainment. A male was put into the weekend anchor position, which caused her to again complain about discrimination. The legal department began an internal investigation, but Herridge let it be known in a Feb. 7, 2008, email that she was concerned that the investigation wasn’t thorough nor impartial.
Herridge posted dozens and DOZENS of phony Clinton email, Benghazi, Comey, et al “BOMBSHELLS” over the years and they were ALL duds.
These frauds at this so-called worthless “network” are third-rate amateurs. Not worth the salary they give you.
NOTE TO FOX “NEWS” JOURNALISTS
There are better opportunities outside this Trump agenda-driven network. Tell senior management to take a hike.
