According to former deputy Trump campaign chairman Rick Gates’ statements to the FBI, Sean Hannity tailored his shows to the suggestions of Paul Manafort when he was the Trump campaign chair.
The revelation is in documents obtained by BuzzFeed News via Freedom of Information Act lawsuits to access the interview summaries of the Mueller investigation witnesses. BuzzFeed News reports (with my emphases added):
Sean Hannity continues to be a major presence in the interview summaries. BuzzFeed News had previously reported that Hannity had been mentioned more than a dozen times since the Justice Department and FBI began releasing the interviews last November, He often provided guidance and advice to witnesses in the Mueller probe without disclosing it to his audience.
The latest entry for Hannity includes this detail from Gates’s FBI interview summary in February 2018. Hannity was a Trump supporter who publicly applauded Manafort's hiring by the Trump Campaign. Hannity said, "Finally, we have an adult in the room" when Manafort was hired. During the campaign, Hannity tailored his shows to the agenda Manafort suggested. Hannity called himself a "pundit," not a journalist.”
Law & Crime got a response from Hannity: Not surprisingly, Hannity was not entirely truthful in his non-denial.
“I am extremely proud of the investigative reporting that me, my radio staff, TV staff, and ensemble cast of reporters have done the last three years,” Hannity said in a statement. “While the media mob peddled lies and conspiracy theories and were proven wrong again and again, we have been vindicated on everything we reported from Hillary Clinton’s server, deleted emails, dirty Russian dossier, premeditated fraud on the FISA Court, illegally spying and more. Just read the Horowitz report, and watch what U.S. Attorney John Durham discovers in time.”
“As a member of the press, I will never ever confirm or deny any sources I may or may not have had,” he added.
No, Sean, you have not been vindicated on everything you reported. In fact, you were proved spectacularly and vilely wrong when you tried to frame murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich for the leak of the DNC emails to WikiLeaks. Not only that, you have failed to either apologize or explain why you caused additional suffering for a grieving family.
(Hannity image via screen grab)
