politicnewsbusterinsiderpostreview: Alarming texts from Sean Hannity revealed by Jan. 6 committee

January 5, 2022

Good afternoon. As we draw nearer to the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, the congressional committee investigating the attack has continued to unveil new information about who knew what—and how.

Take Fox News star Sean Hannity, for instance. In a letter released yesterday, the select committee revealed that Hannity had engaged in extensive contact with Trump and his inner circle before and after the attack. We don't know much about the content of Hannity's communications, but it did seem like he was deeply concerned about Trump's plans for January 6. According to the committee, Hannity texted Trump associates shortly beforehand that he was "very worried about the next 48 hours." Other messages indicate that Hannity had spoken directly with Trump on the evening of January 5 about Trump's plans for the next day. The committee is now seeking to interview Hannity for "factual information directly relevant to the events of January 6th and the attack on the institutions of our democracy."

The panel's investigation had previously revealed that Hannity was among various Fox News hosts and Trump confidants who tried for hours to get Trump to issue a statement asking the rioters to stop their attack, only to attempt to downplay the severity of the event on their television shows. The investigation has shed new light on the way that many right-wing media figures essentially function as Republican Party operatives, advising GOP politicians on next steps, covering for their lies, and laundering their talking points.

If you want to learn more about Hannity, click on Dan Friedman's piece here.

—Noah Y. Kim