On Wednesday, Tony Bobulinski testified before Congress in the ongoing impeachment investigation of Joe Biden. His damning testimony so triggered Jessica Tarlov, the liberal co-host on Fox News Channel’s “The Five,” that she sought to undermine it by accusing Bobulinski of having a pro-Trump PAC pay his legal fees.
"Tony Bobulinski's lawyers' fees have been paid by a Trump Super PAC that's as recent as January,” she claimed before rehashing a false claim about Donald Trump. “Do you think that a guy who's invested in how much better off he wants the United States to be—and really getting to the bottom of this—would be taking money from the guy who extorted the Ukrainians to get dirt on the Bidens?" she asked.
In a letter PJ Media obtained, Bobulinski’s lawyer demanded an on-air retraction and an apology from Tarlov for making a false claim.
"Ms. Tarlov stated that Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees are being paid by a Trump Super PAC. This is unequivocally false and defamatory. Indeed, no Trump Super PAC has ever paid Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees,” reads a letter from Jesse R. Binnall to Jeff A. Taylor, the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Fox Corporation. "In fact, Mr. Bobulinski has paid over $500,000, in legal fees to numerous lawyers in law firms out of his own pocket since 2020. We write to demand the immediate retraction, on air, today, of this maliciously blatant lie."
Binnall then threatened a defamation lawsuit against Fox if it did not make an apology or retraction.
"Let me be perfectly clear,” wrote Binnall. "We will immediately file a defamation lawsuit against Fox, and Ms. Tarlov, if this lie is not retracted by Ms. Tarlov on air today, March 21, 2024. Consistent with her pattern of previous conduct, Ms. Tarlov’s comments were intended to be, and are, extremely damaging, making her immediate retraction of the utmost importance."
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The letter also served as a demand for the identification and preservation of records, including all forms of written, electronic, and recorded information, such as emails, text messages, spreadsheets, photographs, videos, and more, along with any drafts or proposed drafts of correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other materials, as well as any attachments or enclosures.
"Documents and data of any type, whether hard copy or electronic, draft or final, should not be discarded, destroyed, modified, or altered in any way and should be identified, held and preserved in their current format until litigation, if necessary, is resolved,” the letter continues.
“It was a mistake to believe Ms. Tarlov’s defamatory comments are without consequence,” Binnall concluded. "We will be watching today’s show."
“The Five” airs at 5 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel.
Bobulinski’s testimony caused quite a stir on social media on Wednesday for his fiery demeanor and response to Democrat attacks. After accusing Reps. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) of lying, Raskin interrupted Bobulinski’s opening statement.
"Am I supposed to say 'it's my time,' Mr. Raskin?" Bobulinski said, prompting laughter from the gallery.
Update 9:29 p.m.: During Thursday's episode of "The Five," Tarlov made the following statement:
I would like to clarify a comment I made yesterday during our discussion of Tony Bobulinski's appearance at the congressional hearing. During an exchange with my colleagues about the hearing I said that Mr. Bobulinsk's lawyers' fees have been paid by a Trump super PAC as recently as January. What was actually said during the hearing was that the law firm representing Mr. Bobulinski was paid by a Trump PAC. I have seen no indication of those payments were made in connection with Mr. Bobulinski's legal fees and he denies that they were.
You can watch the video here.
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