Fox News’s Sean Hannity is facing severe backlash from conservative commentators for reportedly asking former president Donald Trump to consider a pardon for Hunter Biden to control the fallout from the Capitol insurrection.
Last Thursday, the House select committee investigation the Capitol riot released text messages between Hannity and former White House House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany who told him Mr Trump was “intrigued by the pardon idea!! (Hunter)”.
“Hunter” was a reference to president Joe Biden’s son, reported the Daily Beast, citing sources.
Mr Biden’s son has been at the crosshairs of Republicans because of business dealings with Ukraine. An attempt by Mr Trump to extort an investigation from the Ukrainian government had led to his first impeachment in 2019.
Hannity reportedly proposed a last-minute pardon during a conversation on 7 January, framing it as a gesture to “smooth things over”. But the idea “died on the vine” as, despite initial interest, Mr Trump “never seriously considered” it, the source was quoted as saying.
Right-wing One America News Network host Jack Posobiec called out the Fox News anchor for floating the idea. “We now know that [Sean Hannity] told Trump to pardon Hunter Biden and stop talking about the 2020 election,” he tweeted.
David Wohl, an attorney, tweeted: “How the hell does Hannity still have a show? What an absolute POS.”
Former White House official Darren J Beattie tweeted saying the Fox News anchor “earned his CIA pin”.
“I’ve been telling you guys that [Sean Hannity] isn’t an ally,” tweeted conservative commentator John Cardillo.
Meanwhile, Hunter Biden, who confirmed that his tax history was under probe earlier in December 2020, has so far not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.
“I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately,” he had said in a statement.
Federal authorities are also probing if the president’s son and his associates violated tax and money laundering laws during their business dealings in countries abroad, including China.
