Fox News/GOP Impeachment Misinformation and What About-isms

Fox News/GOP Impeachment Misinformation and What About-isms (2-15-21)Video Link: https://youtu.be/d9fJVPdKRiU
From 2-10-21 Sean Hannity Episode (Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, Jeanine Pirro, Mark Levin)
Hannity Themes

1. Unconstitutional because Trump private citizen.
   
   1. Constitutional to impeach sitting president. 
      
   2. McConnell denied speedy trial while in office.
      
   3. Most constitutional scholars agree it is constitutional
      
   4. Senate voted it is constitutional.
      
2. It was preplanned so couldn’t incite it.
   
   1. Can incite something that is preplanned.
      
   2. Months of election misinformation.
      
   3. Rhetoric pre January 6th invited supporters, incited them, and motivated them to prevent/overturn Congressional vote counting procedure.
      
3. Insurrectionist language of left
   
   1. Example of “What About-ism”
      
   2. Classic, unfortunate Fox News tactic
      
   3. None of the “what about” examples motivated insurrection in the Capitol, deaths/injuries, or attempt to overturn election results.
      

Jordan’s 4 Principles (enjoy the irony)

1. Unconstitutional. See before.
   
2. No due process.
   
   1. Constitution provides no rules.
      
   2. Both teams agreed to rules.
      
   3. Prosecution provided thoroughly presented evidence.
      
3. Grave harm to 1st amendment.
   
   1. No harm to 1st amendment.
      
   2. Trump speech not curtailed.
      
   3. 1st amendment doesn’t protect illegal action (e.g., threats to someone’s safety, inciting a riot)
      
   4. 1st amendment is not an element of the impeachment case
      
   5. 144 constitutional/legal scholars explained this in group letter
      
4. Doesn’t unify the country.
   
   1. Inciting group that invaded capitol 1st time since 1812 doesn’t unify.
      
   2. Trump/enablers promote massive election misinformation & divisive actions, then when lose power they argue for unity over accountability.
      
   3. Unifying Principles: fact over fiction, integrity over partisanship, country over politics.
      
   4. You’re welcome.
      

Jordan’s 4 Facts

1. Pre planned (see before)
   
2. Pipe bombs found in advance
   
   1. Says this very enthusiastically, so MUST be legit??
      
3. Capitol police asked for additional help.
   
   1. How is this a point?
      
4. Trump said “peaceful and patriotic” in speech.
   
   1. Single statement re: peaceful vs. dozens of incendiary remarks (including other speakers).
      
   2. Statement early on.
      
   3. Trump also said he would join them on march to Capitol.
      
   4. Irresponsible to call for rally to overturn election results, then to use incendiary language to a group already inclined to violent actions.
      
   5. Examples: Peaceful 1x, stolen election 8x, take back country 2x, warriors 1x, false election claims 73, not going to take it 3x, weakness/strength 16x, fight 10x, suppression 6x, destruction 3x, Pence doing right thing 7x, fake news 12x, enemy of the people 2x.
      

What About-ism Examples

1. Stacy Abrams: 2018 Governor candidate, not Trump on Jan 6th
   
2. Hillary Clinton: 2016 Presidential candidate, not Trump on Jan 6th
   
3. Nancy Pelosi: Speaker of the House who was a target of insurrection on Jan 6th
   
4. Adam Schiff, Mueller Report: investigated Russian collusion, not Trump on Jan 6th
   
5. Jamie Raskin & Eric Swallwell: House impeachment managers, not Trump on Jan 6th
   
6. Chinese Spy and Shooter of Steve Scalise: how is this related to Trump on Jan 6th?
   

What About-ism Examples (cont.)

1. People confronting Senators Paul, Hawley, Graham, McConnell
   
2. Fox News recurring footage of burning buildings, violence of racial riots
   
3. Language of the left and Kamala Harris statements are not inciting an insurrection of the Capitol or attempt to overturn a national election
   

Presidential Medal of Freedom

• Highest civilian award.
  
• For “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
  
• No rules precluding a narcissistic president awarding Medal of Freedom to same-party politicians who support him blindly with rabid partisanship, falsely patriotic rhetoric, and complete absence of fact-based assertions.
  

Congratulations to Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan.

Recurring Lies about Democrats not Accepting 2016 Results

• See following examples of them accepting election results.
  
• Contrast against Trump who still hasn’t accepted results and prominent Republicans and Fox News pundits refusing to accept results until after January 6th.
  

Jeanine Pirro, Devin Nunes, Mark LevinIn video clip.