Sean Hannity once again stuck his nose into U.S. investigations into Russia’s interference in our democracy, this time using his radio show to persuade George Papadopoulos not to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. This was one week after Hannity urged Michael Flynn to withdraw his guilty plea and offered to raise money for his legal fees.
Yesterday, Media Matters caught Hannity telling Papdopoulos, on the air, “Let them hold you in contempt” rather than to cooperate with an American institution of democracy. The Senate is controlled by Republicans so it’s hardly a bastion of anti-Trump liberals.
Perhaps a lawyer can weigh in on whether this is obstruction of justice. But legal or not, Hannity’s behavior is certainly unethical and un-American. From the Media Matters transcript of Hannity's discussion with Papdopoulos, with my emphases added:
HANNITY: You know, why would you allow yourself to go under oath, and knowing that they are the ones that would decide -- now, we're going to have criminal referrals from Devin Nunes this week -- why would you put yourself in a position where, if you're under oath -- I wouldn't testify without immunity, in your case. And I would insist on it, and if you don't get it, don't do it.
PAPADOPOULOS: You know, it looks like that's what my lawyers are asking for. I have a great new legal team, and that's what they're asking for, and quite frankly, I agree with you, and if I don't get it, we're probably not going to do it.
...
You know what? I'm making -- I'm going on the record, I'm not going to testify to the Senate. That's a -- I'm going to make sure that my lawyers take care of that, but you're absolutely right. At this point I’ve testified for over 30 hours, my testimony to Congress, to the Oversight Committee has been released. That’s the story. You're absolutely right. At this point, we could -- there could be trouble, so yeah, I agree with you, Sean.
...
HANNITY: Let me tell you something -- and they -- let them hold you in contempt.
...
By the way, I would recommend anyone else that testifies, tell them "No way. I'm pleading the fifth."
Last week, Hannity announced on his radio show that Flynn “needs to withdraw that guilty plea. I'll start a fund that he gets a lawyer.”
What’s Hannity trying to hide?
Listen to Hannity deliberately try to obstruct a Senate investigation – into a foreign country’s malfeasance in the U.S., no less – below, from the April 2, 2019 The Sean Hannity Show, via Media Matters.
(Hannity image via screen grab)
