Left-leaning CNN was slammed on Wednesday for refusing to air the opening statements of the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and ranking member before Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s testimony on the FBI’s misconduct in surveilling the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Rapid Response Director Steve Guest highlighted CNN’s actions by noting that CNN covered the entirety of all of the Democrats’ impeachment hearings over the past several weeks.
RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel slammed CNN for its bias, tweeting: “CNN aired everything Schiff & Nadler had to say. Why aren’t they showing [Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)]? Is it because the facts of how the FBI mistreated [President Trump] contradict[s] their coverage over the last 3 years?
“Anxiously awaiting an explanation from [CNN] about their bias here,” McDaniel added.
President Donald Trump responded by tweeting: “The News Media in our Country is FAKE and in many cases, totally CORRUPT!”
The News Media in our Country is FAKE and in many cases, totally CORRUPT! https://t.co/hj9plf0GMC
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2019
In a statement to The Daily Wire, the Trump campaign said:
Vladimir Putin has the Internet Research Agency to spread hoaxes and misinformation. The Democrat Party has CNN. After airing every last second of Democrats’ opening statements plus Democrat staffers talking to each other throughout six extremely boring impeachment hearings, CNN refused to air Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham’s opening statement in the hearing on the IG report today. Instead of informing viewers of the incredibly damning facts regarding the Obama-Biden FBI’s spying on the Trump Campaign in furtherance of the Russia Collusion Hoax that CNN spread for years, CNN turned to the same ‘experts’ who spread the hoax for their takes on the IG report. They also broadcast segments on impeachment, airplane safety, and a low-profile murder case. The IG report confirms that the FBI falsified evidence and lied to the FISA court in order to spy on the Trump campaign while burying real evidence that undermined the Russia Collusion Hoax, which CNN played an active role in spreading. No wonder they weren’t eager to let their viewers know the truth. This is Putin-style propaganda at its finest!
CNN eventually did switch its coverage to the hearing after Horowitz began to give his testimony to the Senate, but the damage had already been done, as numerous prominent figures noted CNN’s questionable decision to not air the full hearing.
Ari Fleischer tweeted: “CNN is not taking the Senate Horowitz hearing live. Unbelievable. A perfect example of how bias works. It’s not just what they cover. It’s what they don’t cover. CNN, after covering weeks of opening statements by Adam Schiff (D) and Jerry Nadler (D), doesn’t cover the opening statement of Lindsey Graham (R) at the Horowitz hearing. I can’t figure out what the difference is. Unless it has something to do with the item in parentheses.”
CNN, after covering weeks of opening statements by Adam Schiff (D) and Jerry Nadler (D), doesn’t cover the opening statement of Lindsey Graham (R) at the Horowitz hearing. I can’t figure out what the difference is. Unless it has something to do with the item in parentheses.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 11, 2019
Federalist co-founder Sean Davis responded to Fleischer’s tweet, writing: “CNN was an active participant in the hoax. Comey/Clapper used CNN to take the hoax public. CNN’s own contributors are being criminally investigated for their actions perpetrating the hoax. Accountability is an existential threat to CNN.”
CNN was an active participant in the hoax. Comey/Clapper used CNN to take the hoax public. CNN's own contributors are being criminally investigated for their actions perpetrating the hoax. Accountability is an existential threat to CNN. https://t.co/wFUQc4tJM4
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 11, 2019
Devin Nunes responded to Davis, writing: “They are too busy looking for me and my staff in VIENNA… @CNN needs to be reigned in by @ATT … Are there any adults left on the board of @ATT ? #goodnightVienna”
They are too busy looking for me and my staff in VIENNA… @CNN needs to be reigned in by @ATT … Are there any adults left on the board of @ATT ? #goodnightVienna https://t.co/PXXvV6VEBp
— Devin Nunes (@DevinNunes) December 11, 2019
Washington Post media reporter Erik Wemple tweeted: “Fox News, MSNBC are broadcasting the Horowitz hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, while CNN is doing other stuff.”
Fox News, MSNBC are broadcasting the Horowitz hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, while CNN is doing other stuff.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) December 11, 2019
Wemple later added: “Strange that CNN is doing a panel right now on Horowitz while the other main cable news networks are carrying live his own testimony on Capitol Hill.”
Strange that CNN is doing a panel right now on Horowitz while the other main cable news networks are carrying live his own testimony on Capitol Hill.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) December 11, 2019
Townhall Political Editor Guy Benson tweeted: “Currently — Fox: IG hearing MSNBC: IG hearing CNN: Anonymous sources claim POTUS is ‘privately agitated’ by impeachment.”
Currently —
Fox: IG hearing
MSNBC: IG hearing
CNN: Anonymous sources claim POTUS is ‘privately agitated’ by impeachment.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 11, 2019
Fox News host Howard Kurtz tweeted: “Major misstep by CNN, after blanketing Democratic hearings, to blow off Lindsey Graham’s opening statement (and Feinstein’s) at IG hearing. And MSNBC dipped in and out of Graham. Fuels the criticism that they’ve taken sides.”
Major misstep by CNN, after blanketing Democratic hearings, to blow off Lindsey Graham's opening statement (and Feinstein's) at IG hearing. And MSNBC dipped in and out of Graham. Fuels the criticism that they've taken sides
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) December 11, 2019
NewsBusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck tweeted: “[CNN] and @BrookeBCNN bail out of #HorowitzIGReport hearing to trot out liberal former assistant U.S. Attorney @ElieHonig and former Comey flack @JoshSCampbell to ‘fact-check’ the Republicans, decrying partisanship (even though they only attack the GOP).”
Video: @CNN and @BrookeBCNN bail out of #HorowitzIGReport hearing to trot out liberal former assistant U.S. Attorney @ElieHonig and former Comey flack @JoshSCampbell to "fact-check" the Republicans, decrying partisanship (even though they only attack the GOP) pic.twitter.com/BERAsw2EnX
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 11, 2019