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The U.S. Home committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot revealed extra exasperated texts between Sean Hannity and the Trump White Home, and implored the Fox Information host to cooperate with the continuing probe.
Hannity loved a detailed relationship with former President Donald Trump and his remaining Chief of Employees Mark Meadows. Per week earlier than the assault on the Capitol, the Fox Information host expressed considerations about Trump’s plans to thwart a congressional certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
“We will’t lose your complete WH counsels workplace,” Hannity wrote to Meadows on Dec. 31, 2020, the Home committee revealed on Tuesday. “I do NOT see January 6 taking place the way in which he's being instructed. After the 6 th. He ought to announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up day by day. Keep engaged. When he speaks folks will hear.”
That message, the committee wrote to Hannity, “suggests that you simply had data of considerations by Trump’s White Home Counsel’s Workplace concerning the legality of the previous President’s plans for January sixth.” Such info, the committee’s chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) wrote of their letter to the Fox Host, “are straight related to our inquiry.”
And on Jan. 5, 2021, the night time earlier than a violent try and overthrow the election, Hannity texted Meadows: “Im very frightened in regards to the subsequent 48 hours.” The committee’s letter additional requested the Fox Information host: “why had been you involved in regards to the subsequent 48 hours?”
Different texts messages from that night, the committee wrote, counsel Hannity had a private dialog with Trump about his plans for trying to overturn the 2020 vote.
Moreover, the committee wrote, Hannity had a dialog with Trump within the days following the Capitol riots, and expressed to Meadows and MAGA loyalist Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) considerations in regards to the president’s way of thinking and doable actions he might take main as much as Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
“Guys, we've got a transparent path to land the aircraft in 9 days. He can’t point out the election once more. Ever,” Hannity wrote to the pair. “I didn't have a superb name with him as we speak. And worse, I’m undecided what's left to do or say, and I don’t like not realizing if it’s really understood. Concepts?” (Trump hit again at his loyal ally Hannity’s texts on Tuesday, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, by way of a spokesperson, “I disagree with Sean on that assertion and the information are proving me proper.”)
Given his textual content messages with Crew Trump, the committee implored Hannity to seem as a “reality witness” within the investigation. “We can't in good religion fail to query you on these and different particular points,” Thompson and Cheney wrote. “We've little doubt that you simply love our nation and respect our Structure. Now could be the time to step ahead and serve the pursuits of your nation. We thanks prematurely in your cooperation.”
Showing on CNN shortly earlier than the committee’s letter went public, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) mentioned of Hannity: “We’ve requested him to cooperate with us as a reality witness out of his sense of patriotism, and we hope he'll reply as a result of we've got so many of those texts and items of proof indicating that he was outdoors of his function as a press individual performing as a political operative.”
The committee’s request for Hannity to seem earlier than them “raises severe First Modification considerations,” mentioned Jay Sekulow, a former high Trump lawyer and present lawyer to Hannity, in an announcement to The Day by day Beast. He wouldn't point out whether or not the Fox star would decline the request. Nevertheless, one other individual near Hannity tersely instructed The Day by day Beast on Tuesday: “Why would Sean cooperate with them?”
The Fox Information host condemned the violence on Jan. 6 throughout his dwell broadcast that night, however he has additionally repeatedly condemned the work of the Home committee investigating the assault. When reached for remark, the community referred The Day by day Beast to Sekulow’s feedback on behalf of Hannity.
The investigation’s newest transfer comes on the heels of Cheney revealing contacts between Meadows and a number of Fox Information hosts, together with Hannity, by studying their texts aloud on the Home flooring. In a single beforehand revealed textual content, the TV and speak radio star urged Meadows on Jan. 6: “Can he [Trump] make an announcement? Ask folks to depart the Capitol.”
—With further reporting by Zachary Petrizzo.