In the wake of the news that Tucker Carlson has left Fox News, many people are wondering why.
“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the statement from the network explained. “Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st. Fox News Tonight will air live at 8 PM/ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named.”
No other details were offered, leading to speculation that his departure may have been connected to the recent settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over 2020 election coverage. But according to the Los Angeles Times, individuals familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak on it suggested that the decision to terminate Carlson’s employment was made directly by Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox Corporation.
According to the report, Murdoch has been concerned about the host’s reporting on the January 6th Capitol riot. Carlson’s coverage of the riot included presenting footage not shown by the January 6 committee. Among other things, the footage shows Capitol Police escorting the so-called “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley around the Capitol and letting him into spaces. This footage prompted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others to call for Chansley to get a retrial. “Jacob Chansley deserves a retrial,” she tweeted. “All he did was nonviolently walk through the Capital [sic] wearing a costume while being escorted by Capital [sic] Police. I’m sick of the lies and the double standard.”
Other footage presented by Carlson showed Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick walking around after the riot, contradicting liberal claims that he was killed during the violence. Tucker also reported on evidence that suggested that federal agents may have been the ones who incited the violence. According to court documents, the undercover agents seen in body cam footage were not only observing but actively encouraging the protesters with chants like “Go! Go! Go!” “Stop the Steal!” and “Whose House? Our House!”
The curious thing about the report that Murdoch was directly responsible for pushing out Tucker is that last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for Tucker to be censored, insisting that Murdoch “has a special obligation to stop Tucker Carlson from going on tonight, now that he’s seen how he has perverted and slimed the truth, and from letting him go on again and again and again.”
Democrats may have wanted Tucker out at Fox News, but wherever he ends up next, he could become an even bigger problem for them.
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