Enraged that John Fetterman turned down invitations to appear on his Fox News program, right-wing broadcaster Sean Hannity threatened to sue the Democratic Senate candidate during a dizzying Tuesday night rant, where he also complained he was being used as a pawn in Fetterman’s fundraising efforts.
Fetterman is in a closely watched Senate race against celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania.
“As of now, the Fetterman campaign is failing to debate Dr. Oz, also refusing my invitation to appear on this program as he and his campaign have been lying about me, raising money off of my name,” Hannity claimed.
Mediaite reported that on his Monday night show, Hannity put on the screen what he said was a fundraising letter from Fetterman’s campaign accusing the Fox News star of spreading lies about the Democratic challenger.
On Tuesday, Hannity complained that Fetterman sent “yet another fundraising text, attacking me, lying about me, calling me a liar.”
That prompted Hannity to up the ante.
“He may be hearing from my lawyers very shortly,” Hannity warned. “He better hope that mommy and daddy have enough money to pay his legal bills.”
Noting that Fetterman suffered a stroke in May, Hannity showed edited video of the 53-year-old Democrat — the son of a wealthy Pennsylvania insurance executive — stammering during a recent speech and argued Monday that the state’s lieutenant governor is “unfit” to represent the Keystone State.
Claiming “we don’t lie on this show,” prime-time cable’s longest running host blasted the liberal candidate’s “losing campaign” for trading off Hannity’s name.
According to Real Clear Politics, Fetterman leads the TV doctor supported by Hannity in every poll, including one taken by Fox News last month that shows the Democrat ahead by double digits.
Hannity’s activism in Republican politics is well established.
During the 2018 midterms, CNN reported that he had been billed as a “special guest” at a GOP rally in Missouri featuring then-President Donald Trump. After denying he would “be on stage campaigning with the president,” Hannity appeared on stage with the president. He later claimed the advertised appearance “was not planned.”
The 60-year-old pundit also found himself in a jam following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol when he told his radio audience he had “reports that groups like Antifa” may have been responsible for the insurrection attempt following Trump’s electoral defeat.
Texts obtained by the Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol revealed that Hannity had warned Trump’s chief of staff a week before the deadly uprising “I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told.” On the day of the attack, he texted again asking if Trump could “make a statement” urging his followers to leave the Capitol.
Fetterman has not responded to Hannity’s legal threat or his demands to point out specific lies he’s allegedly told.
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