On Wednesday, Jessica Tarlov, a liberal co-host on Fox News Channel's "The Five," accused former Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulinski of having his legal fees paid by a Trump Super PAC, which prompted a demand for a retraction and an apology.
"Tony Bobulinski's lawyers' fees have been paid by a Trump Super PAC that's as recent as January,” she claimed.
Following the accusation, Bobulinski’s lawyer, Jesse R. Binnall, demanded an on-air retraction and an apology from Tarlov and threatened a defamation lawsuit against Fox if these demands weren’t met.
"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."
Previous: Jessica Tarlov's False Claim About Tony Bobulinski Sparks Lawsuit Threat Against Fox News
During Thursday’s episode of “The Five,” Tarlov offered a “clarification” of her previous claim.
"I would like to clarify a comment I made yesterday during our discussion of Tony Bobulinski's appearance at the congressional hearing,” she said. "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."
She added, "I have seen no indication that those payments were made in connection with Mr. Bobulinski's legal fees and he denies that they were."
However, PJ Media reviewed a new letter from Bobulinski's lawyer, John Sullivan, sent to Jeff A. Taylor, the executive vice president and general counsel for Fox Corporation, which argues that Tarlov did not retract her claim or apologize for making the false statement.
"Ms. Tarlov petulantly made it a point to state that this was a ‘clarification,' not an apology,” the letter reads. "'What was actually said at the hearing' left the impression that it was a matter of fact, not a claim made by a democrat representative, that Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees were being paid for by a Trump PAC and that Mr. Passantino’s law firm secretly accepted funds from any source other than Mr. Bobulinski personally for this representation."
The letter continues, "This half-hearted response and cavalier attitude is simply unacceptable and Ms. Tarlov was aware at the time she made them that these false statements invoking President Trump would inflame a segment of the country against Mr. Bobulinski and Mr. Passantino and would falsely cause her viewers to disbelieve Mr. Bobulinski’s sworn testimony."
To be clear, we demand a complete retraction and apology by Ms. Tarlov AT THE TOP OF TODAY’S SHOW while showing this photograph in which Ms. Tarlov clearly states that she explicitly “apologizes to Tony Bobulinski and Stefan Passantino for making a false claim on the air which harmed their reputations.” Ms. Tarlov must further state, “To be clear, it appears that Mr. Bobulinski has always paid all of his legal bills and there is no evidence that Mr. Passantino or his law firm accepted money from anyone other than Mr. Bobulinski for his representation.” These statements must be made without the petulant innuendo or further attempted mental gymnastics as we saw from her yesterday. Absent such statements, both he and Mr. Passantino will continue to be harmed.
The letter warns that if Tarlov fails to comply with this request, "our next communication on this matter will be service of a Summons and Complaint against Fox, and Ms. Tarlov, next week."
You may want to tune into “The Five” this evening to see what happens.
PJ Media reached out to Fox Corporation for comment, but they have not responded.
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