The Jan. 6 hearings back last week, and they were ratings gold, all while revealing things that hadn’t previously been made public. Details of behind-the-scenes chicanery continue to surface. Among them is this: The day after the Capitol riot, Sean Hannity had an idea how on how to atone for the violent attack that left five dead. His pitch: Pardon Hunter Biden.
This comes from The Daily Beast, who dwelled on one of the many text messages made public by the House select committee. The Fox News host was communicating with then-White house press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, telling her about a meeting he’d had with the outgoing president about ways to “smooth things over,” not only with the incoming Biden administration but also with the general public. At one point Hannity wrote, “He was intrigued by the pardon idea!! (Hunter)”
A source told the Beast that Hannity — one of a number of Fox News pundits frantically trying to get Trump to call off his violent supporters — was indeed referring to Joe Biden’s son. That, obviously, didn’t happen, along with other ideas Hannity had floated, such as “no more stolen election talk” and “attending inauguration.”
Hunter Biden has long been a target of rightwing politicians and pundits, who’ve alleged financial crimes, spread sordid sex gossip, even dwelled on his issues with drug addiction. Former Bond villain Robert Davi is directing a conservative biopic about him featuring Gina Carano, while Don Jr., of all people, has accused him of being a product of nepotism.
What Hunter hasn’t done is be convicted of a crime. So it’s not clear what Hannity thought he should be pardoned for. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot, whose flames Trump at least helped stoke, with two weeks left in office and close allies fleeing (before later returning to his side), pardoning was about the only real power he had left.
(Via The Daily Beast)