Memo to George Zimmerman: If you’re trying to show the world you’re not a racist, you might not want to pal around with Sean Hannity. Unfortunately for Zimmerman, he seems more interested in Hannity’s advice than that of his own attorneys. After a phone call with Hannity about which he said they “spoke on the phone about his case, and I agreed not to report on the contents of that conversation,” Zimmerman’s attorneys resigned. They cited that phone call as one of the reasons.

The attorneys, Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig, held a press conference yesterday announcing their withdrawal from representing Zimmerman. Sonner told the media that they had lost touch with Zimmerman. “He’s gone on his own. I’m not sure what he’s doing or who he’s talking to,” Sonner said. “He has not returned phone calls, text messages or emails.”

Uhrig went on to say that they had learned that Zimmerman had “called Sean Hannity, of Fox News, directly, not through us and we believe, I can’t confirm this, we believe that he spoke directly with Sean off the record and he’s not even willing to tell us what our client told him.” 

Yes, Hannity, the guy who pals around with a slavery apologist who likens slave ships to flying coach, is now Zimmerman’s BFF. And more, it would seem.

During his radio show that day, Hannity said, “I’m not gonna reveal the contents of that conversation (with Zimmerman).”

Well, except for what Hannity wanted to reveal, his so-called proof that Zimmerman is not a racist. Hannity went on to say, “I have confirmed, yes, he was a mentor to minority children. Now, if you were a racist, I don’t think you’d be a mentor to minority children.”

Is that like he couldn’t be a racist because some of his best friends are black? It’s worth noting Hannity didn’t say what ethnicity those “minority children” were. For all we know, they were Hispanic children and Zimmerman hates African Americans. But even more significantly, Zimmerman’s good works with children does not mean he didn’t racially profile Trayvon Martin that awful night nor that he didn’t act overly aggressive because of conclusions based on Martin’s race. Or for any other reason, for that matter.

I want to pause here and reiterate that I actually agree with Hannity that there has been too much of a rush to judgment against Zimmerman. But Hannity’s ludicrous behavior does nothing to reassure me that Zimmerman isn’t a crazy racist. Zimmerman’s outreach to Hannity, while disregarding his attorneys, does even less.

Hannity went on to say he has “sources on the ground” who tell him that there may be some “major changes” in the case “that’s not gonna fit the narrative that some of the protesters have been advancing, that it would be exculpatory towards Mr. Zimmerman.”

And if that doesn’t sound like Hannity is on the Zimmerman defense team, check out what he said on the Hannity television show:

“One of the reasons that was cited (for the attorneys’ resignation) was an alleged conversation that George Zimmerman had with me... I want to set the record straight about a couple of things now. For a few weeks, we have been pursuing an interview with Mr. Zimmerman, to give him a chance to tell his side of the story. Now, yesterday, I was contacted by an individual that we, in fact, believe was George Zimmerman. He reached out to me, we spoke on the phone about his case, and I agreed not to report on the contents of that conversation. That’s it. I know nothing about his relationship with his now former attorneys.”

Hold on a minute! An “alleged conversation?” Hannity had already said on his radio show he spoke with Zimmerman. But now, on the television show, he was playing it cute by saying he spoke with someone “we, in fact, believe was George Zimmerman.” That means an actual, not alleged, conversation regardless of who was on the other end of the phone line. Plus, earlier Hannity said he “confirmed” that Zimmerman mentored minority children. It sounds like Hannity is definite that they spoke when he wants to be definite and uses wiggle words like “alleged” when that’s more suited to his interests.  

But wait, there’s more. Hannity said at the beginning of his television statement that he had been pursuing Zimmerman “for a few weeks” for an interview. Then, later in the same statement, Hannity said it was Zimmerman who “reached out to me,” suggesting that it was all Zimmerman’s idea. If you think Hannity did nothing to indicate whose side he was taking to Zimmerman, then please explain to me why Zimmerman would speak to Hannity about the case, ask him not to reveal the contents of the conversation and go rogue from his own attorneys.

(Some of the videos below are no longer available)