Karl Rove and Jason Chaffetz, two very accomplished smearmeisters, told half the story about a dispute between Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock and his ex-wife in order to pose as concerned about character.
According to police, there were no signs that Warnock ran over his ex-wife’s foot during an argument. From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (my emphases added):
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in March that Warnock wasn’t charged with a crime and an officer said in a police report that medical officials didn’t find visible signs of injury in the foot. The Democrat disputed Ouleye Warnock’s allegations, telling the AJC on March 7 that “it didn’t happen.”
The footage aired on Tucker Carlson Tonight two weeks before a Jan. 5 runoff against U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, one of two races that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. It does not raise any new allegations against Warnock, but it was amplified by Republicans who used the video to remind a broader audience of the dispute.
…
The [police] report said Ouleye Warnock was able to wiggle her toes and that Grady Hospital first-responders were “not able to locate any swelling, redness, or bruising or broken bones.”
Never mind that 26 women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, including assault. Nor that he has boasted about committing sexual assault. Nor that he has actually advocated for violence. Trump apologists (if not outright supporters) Rove and Chaffetz are suddenly very, very sensitive to such matters - now that Republican control of the Senate is at stake. And while I would not ordinarily dismiss any claim of domestic violence, the fact that medical workers could not find any sign of injury on a foot that a car supposedly ran over is an important detail that any responsible, honest news personnel would have mentioned. But not these two.
Without telling viewers that guest Rove is the national finance chair for a joint fundraising effort between the NRSC and Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, Chaffetz did his best to mobilize the GOP base. First, Chaffetz cherrypicked the police report out of the Warnock “controversy.” Then he claimed to “feel for” the ex-wife.
CHAFFETZ: Tonight, far-left Democrat Raphael Warnock finds himself embroiled in another controversy after police footage, police footage of a domestic dispute in March of 2020, earlier this year, that was first obtained by Tucker Carlson Tonight showed his ex-wife holding back tears while telling police that Warnock is, quote, a great actor, end quote.
Have a look.
BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARNOCK'S EX-WIFE: The way he acts under wraps for a long time, and today, he crossed the line. So, that is what is going on here and he's a great actor, he is phenomenal at putting on a really good show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHAFFETZ: I just feel for her.
Sure he does. This is the same "sensitive" guy who got ankle surgery before quitting Congress, thus taking advantage of Obamacare protections for his own pre-existing conditions, then voted to take them away from the rest of us.
Rove was identified merely as “former White House deputy chief of staff” and “Fox News contributor.” Chaffetz said he is “focused on Georgia because it's bad enough having Nancy Pelosi with the gavel, I've lived through that. But to give one to Chuck Schumer too? Holy cow, I can't even imagine.”
Rove told Chaffetz the vote will be close but that Republicans will “ultimately” win. Rove said, “the Democrats have a get out the vote machine that is hard to beat" and that “nobody should underestimate what Stacey Abrams is capable of doing.”
After some more chatting about the election and more demonizing of Ossoff and Warnock as “very far left figures,” Chaffetz brought up Warnock’s ex-wife again.
CHAFFETZ: Raphael Warnock, we saw that video of his wife, you know, from just literally a few months ago saying this guy is an actor, essentially saying that he's a fraud, so much so that she had to call the police. …
ROVE: Well, she is very compelling when you see the whole footage, it's very compelling and my suspicion is a lot of people are going to see it. It is close to the election, we are 13 days away and at the end of the campaign a lot of people say, you know what, I don't trust any of those politicians.
But I think it's very compelling footage.
However, Rove seemed more interested in painting Warnock as a guy who tries to disguise his “way over the top” plans.
ROVE: Here's a guy who says socialism is getting a bad name, he gets hit on it and he says, well, I'm in favor of free enterprise. You know, Fidel Castro has a complex legacy and I refuse to condemn him but when he gets hit on it, I believe there ought to be freedom in Cuba.
So, he's very facile, doesn't hold an opinion but he is much a left-winger.
You can watch the distortions below, from the December 23, 2020 Hannity.