One thing you have to give to Fox News: No one hires more delusional crazies than Rupert Murdoch. From Tucker Carlson to Sean Hannity, the Fox hosts and “reporters” are all cut from the same batshit bonkers bolt of cloth.
One of the Fox conspiracy theorists who sometimes gets lost in the hoopla generated by the network’s primetime stars is Maria Bartiromo, who is normally seen on Fox Business but also has a show that runs on the main Fox network two each weekend.
Bartiromo was in rare form recently, inviting Moscow’s favorite senator, Ron Johnson (R-WI) to join her as they both suggested that the January 6 Capitol insurrection was non-violent because the rioters weren’t carrying guns, with the host telling Johnson:
“Armed insurrection is what Nancy Pelosi keeps calling Jan. 6, Senator. How many guns were actually taken up on that day since she says it was armed?”
Johnson was only too happy to extrapolate on what Bartiromo had just said, adding:
“They always talk about thousands of armed insurrectionists. I asked the FBI witness. Not one gun was recovered either in the Capitol or on the Capitol grounds, according to the FBI witness. So that’s just one of the latest big lies.”
Thing is, PolitiFact says Johnson and Bartiromo’s claims that none of the insurrectionists were armed is a blatant lie and earned the site’s “Pants On Fire Rating.” They noted:
“Police stopped only a fraction of the violent protestors Jan. 6, but we still know of guns and explosives seized in and around the Capitol. And we know rioters brought knives, brass knuckles a stun gun, and other weapons. Just as notable, video plainly shows the mob using all manner of makeshift weapons to attack police and force their way in, including hockey sticks, flagpoles, fire extinguishers, and a police shield stolen from an officer.”
All of this led to Bartiromo having an on-air meltdown as she acknowledged that she too has been criticized for things she says about the rioting that led to the deaths of five people, including a police officer. Bartiromo told her viewers:
“I am so incredibly proud of this team on Sunday Morning Futures and of working alongside you. We have been telling every story. We’ve been on the right side of it for seven years going. I’ve been trashed every day along the way.
“Keep trashing me! I’ll keep telling the truth.”
Actually, Maria, no one has to try and trash you. You’re doing a helluva fine job of trashing what’s left of your pathetic career.
Here’s the video:
