Attorney for Nicholas Sandmann says the Washington Post gave online bullies a megaphone to tarnish his client

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Attorney for Nicholas Sandmann says the Washington Post gave online bullies a megaphone to tarnish his client

Lin Wood explains the Covington Catholic High School student's $250 million lawsuit against the Washington Post.

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," February 20, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to “Hannity.”

All right. We start with a Fox News alert. We have huge news all over the place tonight. Breaking news as we speak, including Lara Logan's powerful rebuke of the media, a risk that may cost her a future.

And also, the lawyer for Nicholas Sandmann, Lin Wood, yesterday filing a $250 million lawsuit against "The Washington Post." He joins us tonight with an exclusive interview.

But we begin tonight with the breaking news. "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has been charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. Now, this is a class four felony, punishable by three years in prison. It's a major decision now by prosecutors.

And it comes as a newly uncovered surveillance video -- look at this -- shows the two brothers that allegedly testify before the grand jury today paid by Smollett to stage the assault. And they are purchasing multiple items that were used and what now looks like a hate crime hoax, including glasses, a ski mask, even a red hat.

And earlier today, these two men literally testified before the grand jury against Smollett. Now, with evidence mounting, Smollett is in serious legal jeopardy tonight, and it could get far worse. Federal charges could also be on the way.

But tonight, Smollett's attorneys -- they are pushing back in a statement that says, quote, like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information both true and false has been repeatedly leaked. Given the circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.

By the way, we believe in the due process and a presumption of innocence here on the show. But earlier today, the two brothers that you just saw on that surveillance tape had this message for the embattled actor. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Jussie Smollett says they're lying. What do you say to that?

LAWYER FOR THE BROTHERS INVOLVED IN SMOLLETT CASE: I think that Jussie Smollett should come clear because the truth will set him free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Wow. Powerful statement.

We're going to take you live to the ground in Chicago, a full report coming up in just minutes, and a lot more coming up.

Sadly, what we see with Smollett is absolutely nothing new in terms of the media buying a hoax, hook, line, sinker. They go all the way in.

Now, our top story tonight, “Hannity” watch into this abusively biased, hateful mob media in America. Remember not so long ago, countless so- called journalists, pundits from all of these other outlets threw caution to the wind in order to support Jussie Smollett and his very flawed story. I was warned early on, be careful, we didn't talk about it for a long time, waiting for the facts to come in.

Now, despite the glaring red flags, they desperately wanted these wild claims, and his narrative to be true. According to the mainstream media, all Trump supporters are racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, we are all monsters that want dirty air, water and to kill grandma and kids. But their coverage of Smollett is only a tiny tip of the iceberg in what is a media mob coordinated character assassination that takes place so often, they are wrong so often. That fake news is abundance in this country.

Remember the outrageous, despicable treatment in the media of now Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh? What about the Duke Lacrosse case? What about the UVA rape case? What about Ferguson, Missouri? What about Baltimore? What about the Covington high school kids?

Well, now, famed attorney, somebody I have known a long time, Lin Wood, has filed a massive $250 million lawsuit against "The Washington Post" on behalf of Nicholas Sandmann, a brutally devastating 38-page lawsuit, you can see it on hannity.com. Lin will be here in just a few minutes.

Now, his newest client, a 16-year-old, 115-pound Covington High School student who was absolutely vilified by this media mob after he was videotaped standing, saying nothing, smiling, and trying not to react to all that was going on around him -- as you can see, a 64-year-old Native American activists drumming right in his face, and screaming rather loudly in his face. Despite showing incredible amazing great restraint in staying calm and doing absolutely nothing wrong, Nicholas Sandmann was repeatedly smeared, slandered, his character assassinated, over and over again and again on a national stage.

They falsely reported that Nicholas Sandmann approach the Native American activists, it was the other way around. They falsely reported that Nicholas Sandmann was a racist and disrespectful and mean-spirited and even physical, all of that is not true. They did all of this based on what was only a short, inconclusive 15-second clip which showed absolutely nothing.

But from print media, Hollywood actors and actresses, Democrats, cable news, major networks, nonstop absolute complete pile on. Fake news, character assassination against a 16-year-old kid and it turns out did nothing wrong. Except maybe wear a MAGA hat. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some students harassing an older Native American man, a Vietnam vet in the midst of a special ceremony.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Native American advocates say that the video speaks for itself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He got caught doing something that was incredibly racist and disrespectful.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds like the main one who was standing in the face of the Native American leader is already regretting some of those actions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are a lot of people said build a wall, build a wall, said that that was shouted.

MARC MORIAL: These actions of our students are inconsistent -- inconsistent with the teachings of our church.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were jeering and dancing, he has a smug look on his face. And everybody sees the smug look wants to punch that kid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That young man does not look like somebody who is appreciative and considerate of this culture and this chant going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I blame that (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kid. What a little (EXPETIVE DELETED). Smirk face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: While the media mob was besmirching the character of this young Covington High School student, they essentially ignored the group of Black Hebrew Israelites, we have it on tape. They could've found it in five minutes, that were shouting at the kids vile, racist, homophobic, comments at Sandmann and his classmates.

Nicholas Sandmann never responded under the most difficult circumstances. The only thing he responded was to encourage his fellow classmate not to respond. Watch and listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the religion of America. That's "Make America Great Again". A bunch of child molesting (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just like your damn Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at these dusty (EXPLETIVE DELETED) crackers with that racist garbage on. Look at these dirty (EXPLETIVE DELETED) crackers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Wow. All the media had to do was a little bit of work and asked a few questions. They had easy access to this tape.

But the media mob, they chose to rush to judgment, deny due process, guilty by accusation, and vilify and destroy the reputation of a 16-year-old kid and others. After all, he is wearing a red let's "Make America Great Again" hat, and attending oh, he is pro-life, in March for Life rally, which according to so many in the media, that's a vile, bigoted act.

Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has become an invitation for confrontation, some refer to the hat as a modern-day version of the Confederate battle flag.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hat in some ways represents for many of us a kind of racial animus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The MAGA hat carries a certain connotation that provokes a conditioned reaction for many people, especially from marginalized people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just think about the symbol of the red hat, when I see the "Make America Great Again" hat now, Chris, I am triggered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Nicholas Sandmann's public persecution was widespread, all on the various almost all liberal media outlets, but "The Washington Post," they were one of the ones that led the way. And the Sandmann's suit affirms that.

Listen to this, a 38-page brutal takedown. "The Post" bullied an innocent child with an absolute disregard for the pain and destruction that these attacks could cause to his life. And, quote, "The Post" wanted to lead the charge against the child, because he was nothing but a pawn in a political war against their political adversary.

Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz believes and I agree with him, this is a very reasonable case with a really good chance of coming out in favor of Nicholas Sandmann against "The Post", by the way, and I predict others. There's a ton of precedents in this.

What we see with Sandmann is nothing new. You know, I met Lin Wood who is going to join us in a minute, 1996, before the year I started here at the Fox News Channel, I started in October 1996 after the Olympics was in Atlanta. He was representing Jewell, 1996, and the immediate aftermath of the Olympic bombing.

Richard Jewell was heralded and considered a hero after he spotted a suspicious bag, he pushed people away from the scene, he literally single- handedly saved countless lives in the process. But then "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution", they pointed the finger at Richard Jewell writing that they hero guard may have planted to the bomb.

The media mob all piled on in that case too. Why? Because they said that he fit the vision or the profile of a loan bomber. Single white man and he lived with his mother.

I happened to be on the air at that time in Atlanta. I found out later, I did not know it at the time, Richard Jewell was actually listening to my radio show. He told me later that I was the only person that did not to rush to judgment, because I thought that it was ridiculous.

Well, just because he lives with his mother does not make him out to be a terrorist. I learned a valuable lesson. It has served me so well ever since.

In the end, it turned out that the media mob was dead wrong. I was right, Jewell was innocent and he was a hero. Lin Wood likely made him a rich man. I have not seen the settlements.

Sadly to this day, I believe that Richard died, he died at the age of 44 from a heart attack. I guarantee you, they say stress contributes to heart attacks. I strongly believe that in my heart, no medical assessment that is so devastated Richard Jewell that it probably increased the stress load which led to an early death.

Now, we cover every controversial case. That lesson taught me to not rush to judgment in the Duke Lacrosse case, the UVA rape case, Ferguson, Baltimore, Trayvon, and George Zimmerman, even the Russian collusion hoax. The media goes in there direction, they are being proven wrong. That Cambridge police acted stupidly, even vetting Obama, who the media mob loved and refused to do, I did what they would not do.

Time after time this mob gets it wrong again and again. And the media and their friends on the left are always happy to smear, slander, besmirch anyone and everyone as long as it fits into their divisive political narrative.

Now, this has been the case for decades, but it has never been this bad. In the era of Trump, it has become obvious more than ever. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this president trying to impersonate Hugo Chavez, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is not of sound mind. That is somebody that clinically you look at and you say, there's something wrong there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump, up again, being a schmuck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can surely say his words have absolutely emboldened white supremacists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has given oxygen to racists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you are elevating Trump to evil, whereas having raised three kids, I just think he has a giant toddler.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it possible that he is not concerned with his mistresses, because she was one of them? Is that possible?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can no longer say that Trump is a bad guy. If you vote for Trump, you are the bad guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Every second, every minute, every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year since Trump has been president.

By the way, former CBS journalist, great journalist, incredibly bravery, Lara Logan, summed it up perfectly. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARA LOGAN, JOURNALIST: The media everywhere is mostly liberal, not just in the U.S. But in this country, 85 percent of journalists are registered Democrats. So that is just a fact, right, nobody is registering Democrat when they are really a Republican.

So, the facts are on the side of what you just stated, most journalists are left or liberal or Democrat or whatever word you want to give it. I always joke that the other 14 percent were too lazy to register. And there is maybe 1 percent of that is on the right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Now, Lara went on to say she is probably committing professional suicide with that admission. By the way, she will join us in this show tonight.

First, before we talk to attorney Lin Wood, we have other big news. It appears that the Mueller probe is finally wrapping up. Sources telling the Fox News Channel that the investigation is, quote, near the end game. And while the Department of Justice, the special counsel's office have declined to comment, even fake news CNN, maybe they got something right, they are reporting Mueller could submit his findings to the Attorney General Bob Barr as early as next week.

Earlier today, the president had a lot to say about the release of the report, saying that it is all in the hands of his new attorney general, not him. And Justice Department rules say he decides.

And according the special counsel regulations, Mueller will provide a confidential report to the Attorney General Bob Barr explaining the decisions reached by the special counsel. Next, the attorney general will notify the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, quote, upon the conclusion of the special counsel's investigation.

It is totally in the hands of the attorney general and his alone to decide what if any details can be released and in compliance with the law. It can control the timing of the notification over, quote, legitimate investigative or privacy concerns. And also remember, these regulations -- they were presented to Congress, oh, two decades ago by Democrats. Janet Reno, the A.G., Deputy A.G. Eric Holder, that was after the Starr investigation. They were designed to make the special counsel more accountable to the public.

And now, ironically, these same people who are outraged at Starr's authority and the release of that report are the same ones wanting to give Mueller free rein over President Trump. By the way, next week, the president and we will be with him. We'll have an interview with him in Vietnam, an important summit about the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and Kim Jong-un.

Would it not be wholly inappropriate to actually release the findings when the president is out of the country? Participating in these high-stakes negotiations on such an important topic?

We also know, and I have always suspected, maybe I will be proven wrong, Mueller's team of Democrats would love to undermine the president in any way that they can. We'll have more on this later in the show. Also, huge breaking developing news by Sara Carter and John Solomon.

But, first, joining us now with more on this lawsuit and what is a media mob, I got to know him in 1996, one of the most tenacious attorneys in the country, if he sent me a letter of cease and desist, I'd beg for an apology. Lin Wood is with us.

Lin, good to see you.

LIN WOOD, ATTORNEY FOR NICHOLAS SANDMANN: Good to talk to you, Sean. Thanks for having me on.

HANNITY: I meant what I said about Richard Jewell. He -- I learned a lot. It has served me well.

WOOD: Well, let me say this to you; Richard Jewell always appreciated what you did for him, Sean. When the mob went after Richard, you are the sole voice in the media that urged caution and said, stop, investigate, get the facts, get it right. Nobody else did that.

HANNITY: I looked at Nicholas Sandman --

WOOD: He was always grateful for you doing that.

HANNITY: I think the stress killed him. I think it so upset him.

I look at Nicholas Sandmann --

WOOD: I know it did.

HANNITY: -- and I know, we now know the story, this kid, you couldn't teach somebody to act more perfectly than he did under the circumstances, and it would have taken all of seven seconds to get the truth out.

Your reaction?

WOOD: Well, let me tell you what "The Washington Post" did to Nicholas and other members of the mainstream media. You have the era of social media now, Twitter, Facebook -- thank goodness that did not as exist back in 1996 when Richard Jewell was under attack.

So, this video goes viral, the mob attacks, and you would expect that the mainstream media would be responsible enough to pause, recognize that they are dealing with a student, investigate, and make sure that they have the facts accurate, that the story that they tell is accurate. But they didn't pause when it came to Nicholas, because they wanted to rush out and they wanted to jump into the mob and give the mob a megaphone, so that they could attack this boy, because he was white, he's Catholic, and he was wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap.

If Nicholas had not purchased that souvenir cap that day at the Mall, if he was not wearing it, none of us would know who Nick Sandmann is. He would still be living his life privately, going to school without worrying about how his school and his classmates and the world feel about him.

Here is a 16-year-old kid, Sean. It is tough being 16. Think about what this young boy is having to deal with at age 16 when the entire world saw him the way that the media portrayed him as literally the face of evil. It is inexcusable, reprehensible conduct by the media. And "The Washington Post" led the way.

HANNITY: Well, you also telegraphed my interpretation, I have read every word of your 38-page complaint that CNN is not far behind, NBC is not far behind. But, Lin, I've got to imagine if you add up all media outlets in this day and age, and include Hollywood actors and actresses, the fame behind and the power of the pulpit that they have, hundreds, thousands of potential lawsuits here?

WOOD: Certainly hundreds. The good news is, is that we have two and a half years to identify and file lawsuits against the wrongdoers, because he is a minor, Nick will turn 18 in July of 2020. We've got two and a half years. We've got a lot of work to do, because the social media and mainstream mob of bullies was extremely large in number. And they were very vocal.

And the mainstream media like "The Washington Post" gave them a megaphone to go out and to shout to the world that this young boy had instigated this event, which he did not, had engaged in behavior swarming around Mr. Phillips, which he did not, had blocked Mr. Phillips' ability to leave the scene, which he did not.

And Nicholas Sandmann as you said, Sean, he didn't do anything wrong. He exhibited the most respectful behavior of anyone involved in this incident.

HANNITY: You know --

WOOD: He was a child. He was accosted by adults. The Black Hebrew Israelites as your clip shows yelling the most obscene slurs at these boys, homophobic, racist slurs. And then you have this character, Phillips, and I say character because let me tell you, I have watched what he said. He didn't tell the same story twice because he is a liar. And yet the media put him on --

HANNITY: Can you sue him?

WOOD: -- interview after interview, interview after interview, to tell his false story and condemn this young innocent boy.

HANNITY: I assume by those comments and I think you said on Twitter that you would sue Nathan Phillips as well.

You know, I watch what those kids went through and what the people said to them. They said nothing back. I don't know if I would have that kind of restraint. It is kind of amazing, they said that he went and confronted Nathan Phillips -- just the opposite.

I went through a high litany of profile cases. And they get it wrong all the time, this mob.

WOOD: Listen, you dated both of us talking about 1996. I have spent the last 23 years --

HANNITY: And you still look the same.

WOOD: -- of my career -- I'm sorry?

HANNITY: You still look the same.

WOOD: Well, thank you. Both of our hair is a different color now than it was back then.

But I have spent the last two decades working in the area of First Amendment law trying to protect individuals' reputations and seek redress from false attack. And I have watched it, Sean, deteriorate over two decades. It's gotten worse and worse. And now, it's reached a point where they are attacking falsely a child.

HANNITY: I am really --

WOOD: Things have got to change, and there's got to be accountability.

HANNITY: I am -- and I know that you do not need the money. I know that this is your passion. I am happy that they hired you. You're the best person in this.

Lin Wood, thank you.

When we come back, we'll go to Chicago, breaking news on Jussie Smollett, and Lara Logan exclusively on HANNITY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Another breaking news tonight, Fox News alert, huge breaking news tonight in the Jussie Smollett case. Prosecutors are now charging the "Empire" actor with felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report. Look at this headline from tomorrow's "New York Post. Brutal.

Joining us now with reaction is trial attorney Rebecca Rose Woodland, and FOX News contributor, well, I think we will get to it in a second. Dan Bongino is with us.

Rose, let me start. I read this at the top of my head. Felony disorderly conduct, I know that that is legal speak in this case for filing a false police report. But we now know we have the videotape of the two people that say that he paid the money buying the very items that were used in the attack, and those two people went before a grand jury today before these charges were filed.

REBECCA ROSE WOODLAND, TRIAL ATTORNEY: Yes. I mean, we do have grand jury indicting. That is required for any case that it will be possible for the term. Here, he is facing one to three years, but his attorney has issued a statement, and I think it is important to say he is -- he does have a presumption of innocence.

HANNITY: Absolutely.

WOODLAND: As does everyone else.

Possibly, these two concocted the whole scheme and claimed he did. But maybe they were the ones I did it. I'm not saying that based on what we have so far, it is not looking good for Smollett, but there is always a possibility that he is innocent. So I think that we should take a step back, let's see --

HANNITY: Totally agree.

WOODLAND: -- how the case proceeds.

HANNITY: It doesn't look good for him, I will tell you that. Dan, we'll get to you in a second.

Joining us from Chicago is Rafer Weigel. I fired him last night, but, you know -- apparently, you are taking heat for doing a news report on my show in Chicago. Gee, I'm sorry. But you have been great on the show.

RAFER WEIGEL, WFLD FOX 32 CHICAGO REPORTER: No, I really appreciate you having me on. Thank you, Sean.

HANNITY: I do apologize for mispronouncing your name, but I think I'm just going to do it on purpose from now. But go ahead.

WEIGEL: It was good TV, but as you said, it does not look good for Jussie Smollett. Chicago police are essentially now accusing him publicly of making the entire thing up, and it looks like we can now start to use the word that police asked us not to use before, and that being hoaxed, Smollett's legal team and prosecutors met today for several hours at the Cook County courthouse trying to work some kind of an agreement. No agreement was reached, and therefore, prosecutors put the grand jury in play.

The two brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo testified before that grand jury for two and a half hours. Their attorney telling me no plea deal was reached, they were not granted immunity, because they did nothing wrong.

Meanwhile, the evidence seems to mount that the two brothers did stage this event. We got surveillance video, Fox 32 obtaining surveillance video from a beauty supply is store showing these men walking into the store buying a red hat, ski masks, and the date of the video was January 28th. That is the day before the incident is reported.

So, the brothers are cooperating with police, saying Smollett put them up to it, Smollett says that they're the ones lying. The brother's attorney says Smollett is the one not telling the truth. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Jussie Smollett says they're lying. What do you say to that?

LAWYER FOR THE BROTHERS INVOLVED IN SMOLLETT CASE: I think that Jussie Smollett should come clear because the truth will set him free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEIGEL: And that was me asking her that question.

Let's get the statement from Jussie Smollett's legal team which we got about an hour ago. Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this, one where information both true and false has been repeatedly leaked.

Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense. As your other guests said, a Class 4 felony, that could be one to three years in prison. Jesse Smollett is due in bond court tomorrow at 1:30. The question is, will he show up? If he doesn't, there will be a warrant issued for his arrest.

Sean?

HANNITY: All right, Rafer Weigel reporting in Chicago tonight, thank you for that report.

We bring back in Rebecca Rose Woodland and Dan Bongino. This is really sounding more and more the testimony is true. I do want to give due process, but it's not looking good Dan Bongino. Is this a hate crime hoax in the making?

And consider all the examples I mentioned with Lin Wood. The media, it sounds similar, they want to believe the worst about Donald Trump and his supporters.

DAN BONGINO- HOST: Yes, I mean the list of hate crime hoaxes goes on and on. That doesn't mean racism and hate crimes don't exist. It just means the ones that have garnered significant media attention over last year, large swaths of them happened to be hoaxes. I mean that's just a fact, Sean.

And listen, I agree with your guests and you, due process of course. I mean this is probably the only network that actually covered this case fairly from the start and didn't jump the gun. But remember, Sean, due process doesn't mean we can't think about this critically like reasonable human beings.

And that's what I think you, I, and a lot of other people did from the start, when there were questions, fair questions to ask. Sean, I was a street cop in the 75 Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn.

I used to walk a post at 6 - from 6 o'clock at night to 2 o'clock in the morning. You see a couple of guys on a relatively empty street in an industrial area at 2 o'clock in the morning with bleach and a noose, wearing MAGA hats with no one else around, it may not be reasonable suspicion to push them out - to pull him over, but it's probably worth giving them an extra look.

Nobody thought this was unusual, this story, that some people just were carrying around bleach in the middle of the night to randomly attack an actor, and in this show - it's just - a minor amount of critical thinking would have--

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: You know, I do what I did--

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: You know, Rebecca, I did what I did in the Zimmerman and Trayvon case, I actually went there and talked to the people. In the Duke Lacrosse case, I talked to some of the parents and some of the kids, when the rest of the - the mob rushed to judgment. They're wrong so often.

Now, when do they start getting held accountable, because you look at the smaller case, you look at these Covington kids and Nicholas Sandmann, there's a lot of similarities here.

REBECCA ROSE WOODLAND, LEGAL ANALYST: A lot of similarities, Sean. I remember, I was here for the Duke case with you, I was here for Trayvon Martin with you.

HANNITY: You're on the right side with me, that's right.

WOODLAND: And what's unfortunate here is, if Jussie did this, why? Why are you playing into such hate, such negativity, when there's such an opportunity now to bring people together?

HANNITY: But no, no - but the media has a narrative and the reason the media jumps and they don't look, like it would have taken them six seconds to find out the truth in the Nicholas Sandmann case.

WOODLAND: Oh I know.

HANNITY: Not even a phone call did these people make. That - they're going to lose. Lin Wood is going to destroy every one of these big media outlets, I guarantee it, it's a slam dunk, and they will all pay.

WOODLAND: Sure. And in this situation, we should have that - again, there is no reason why everyone has to jump to judgment with the MAGA hat, it is ridiculous.

HANNITY: 15 last seconds. Dan?

BONGINO: Sean, listen, you asked who's going to hold the media accountable, it's already happening. The court of public opinion is all that matters and very few people trust the media anymore, like they used to 50 or 60 years ago.

HANNITY: Thank you both. When we come back, huge breaking news on the Deep State. Get this, turns out the FBI's top lawyer wanted to charge Hillary Clinton; Sarah Carter, John Solomon have the latest. And also later tonight, former CBS reporter Lara Logan risking her career exposing media bias; that's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT: --Attorney General is a tremendous man, a tremendous person who really respects this country, and respects the Justice Department, so that'll be totally up to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Yes. And by the way, Democrats Janet Reno, Eric Holder, they were pushing that. President Trump earlier today making it clear that it is up to the Attorney General William Barr on whatever release or no release of Mueller's findings.

Tonight, we do have major developments, Hannity Watch on the Deep State, unelected bureaucrats caught trying to undermine President Trump, first to prevent him from getting elected and then to undermine his election and undo the will of the American people, and their blind loyalty to James Comey.

All right, with our reports tonight, Sarah Carter and John Solomon reporting, former top FBI lawyer James Baker believed the Clinton's use of a private server was in fact enough to secure an indictment and charge her for violations under the Espionage Act, and all that yes leading subpoenaed emails is another thing.

Baker suspiciously changes his mind after discussions with Comey, of course, a Clinton lover and other senior officials, remember who's disgraced FBI official Andrew McCabe ramped up his efforts to undermine the President after Comey was fired in May of 2017. And don't forget, maybe we'll tape the President, maybe we will invoke the 25th amendment.

Here now, Hill's John Solomon with his report also about a possible third dirty dossier. Yes, Bruce Ohr's wife Nellie, yes she produced it. John Solomon from The Hill and Fox News contributor Sarah Carter, investigative reporter.

Sarah, let's start with the FBI issue first, and both you and John report this, that Baker originally believed what we all know is a fact. Hillary Clinton committed a felony, that was the violation of the Espionage Act and I believe obstruction of justice after - and they rigged the investigation.

SARA CARTER, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Yes, Sean, what's so fascinating about Baker's testimony is that he's going through this back and forth with John Ratcliffe out of Texas, who's questioning him about this.

And he specifically states that he absolutely believed from the beginning, when he went through this binder - he was basically given a binder with the classified emails, with documents - he was appalled, he didn't see any other way around it, but to charge Hillary Clinton.

And he continued to battle, according to his own testimony, with people in his office along with Comey as well, he had these arguments going back and forth until the very end. And it wasn't until the very end that he changed his mind.

But more importantly, when Ratcliffe questions him again and he says, do you still believe it is appalling what happened, the mishandling of these classified documents, which Baker himself describes as highly classified documents, he said yes. He basically said yes. Even to this day, he believes it was appalling.

I think the question is—

HANNITY: He's right.

CARTER: --why at the very end did he jump and change—

HANNITY: Because the answer is they wrote an exoneration in May.

CARTER: That's right.

HANNITY: It's Strzok who said Clinton should win 100 million to zero. He conducted the interview. The fix was in, she got away with stuff no other American citizen could ever get away with, and then the dossier, the Russian lies ironically never investigated. Lying to the FISA Court, then using it to sabotage and unseat a duly elected President.

John Solomon, you report on this as well as the third dossier written by - produced by Nellie Ohr, Bruce's wife.

JOHN SOLOMON, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AND COLUMNIST, THE HILL: Yes, I'm really struck today, Sean. Early in the show, you talked about how much the story shifted on Covington, how much it shifted on the attack in Chicago. Think about how much these two stories on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have shifted from what the media originally reported, what we now know today.

For a long time, the FBI said everyone was in unanimity about not charging Hillary Clinton. Now we find out to the very last minute, James Baker was fighting and disagreeing with that decision. And when we started, we were told that the Trump investigation had to be open because it was actionable foreign intelligence, suggesting he was compromised.

Now, we know that intelligence was nothing more than Christopher Steele and Sidney Blumenthal, and now the wife of Bruce Ohr, Nellie Ohr, after learning what Christopher Steele sent to the FBI, a report that Bruce Ohr told the Congress, his wife put her own dossier together, put it on a memory stick, gave it to him and he routed it to the FBI, despite the fact that there are conflict of interest rules that say justice officials should never get involved in cases where their spouse has a financial interest.

It's remarkable, this story has evolved so much.

CARTER: And we only have--

HANNITY: We only have a small sampling of all these interviews. We don't - there's so much information. Do you both agree with me, exit question?

CARTER: That's right.

HANNITY: That in fact, when everything comes out, there's at least probably a dozen people that should be charged here. Sarah?

CARTER: Yes, absolutely, if not more.

HANNITY: If not more, how many more?

CARTER: I would say definitely between 12 and 20.

HANNITY: And John?

SOLOMON: Yes, the House Republicans who did all these interviews, they're preparing criminal referrals right now. I'm told there's at least nine--

HANNITY: It's got to be released.

SOLOMON: --they're going to make right off the bat.

HANNITY: All right.

SOLOMON: Yes, they do.

HANNITY: Real quick, John, you have sources in the Special Counsel's office. What are you hearing about what will be in this report supposedly released next week, real quick?

SOLOMON: I think that the end is near and I think there will be no charges against the President recommended.

HANNITY: No Russian collusion, two years, wow, of media lies, the mob mentality. You guys have been phenomenal. We started two years ago this March, both of you breaking open the story, both deserve credit.

All right, our next, guest stay tuned, caused quite a stir. Former CBS 60 Minutes reporter Lara Logan is here to explain just how the anti-Trump mainstream media truly is, even risking her total career in doing so. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARA LOGAN, FORMER CBS 60 MINUTES REPORTER: --everywhere is mostly liberal, not just in the U.S. But in this country, 85 percent of journalists are registered Democrats, so that's just a fact.

We have few conventions, if you like, because they're not really rules, but that you need at least two first-hand sources for something, right? Those things help keep you - keep your work to a certain standard. Those standards are out the window.

I mean you read one story after another or hear it, and it's all based on one anonymous administration official and former administration official, right. I mean that's just - that's not journalism, that's (BEEP) sorry, that is absolutely (BEEP).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: It is absolute horse. All right, former 60 Minutes correspondent journalist Lara Logan, bravely stating what so many people already know about the mob media's liberal bias. She didn't mince words, she told the truth, even risking political career suicide in the process. Lara joins us now.

Great to see you, thank you for being with us.

LOGAN: Thank you Sean.

HANNITY: Just so you know, just so people know, how many years did you spend out with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, how many tours of duty, years, months?

LOGAN: Well, I lived in Iraq for five years. I lived in Afghanistan for a year and I went to Afghanistan dozens and dozens and dozens of times, and I've been back to Iraq. Before I lived there, I was there under Saddam Hussein.

So, I mean I was pretty much on the battlefield most of the time from 9/11 and it's only been since I had my children that I've kind of - and of course since I was almost killed in Egypt that I've sort of scaled back.

HANNITY: --people. You nearly died in Tahrir Square in Egypt in the Arab Spring. Geraldo (ph) told me, I never knew this, that he shot - had a video of your vehicle getting hit with an IED, I never knew that story, is that true?

LOGAN: Yes, that's true. It was - I think was way back in like 2003 when we were blown up by a double anti-tank mine on the Afghan-Pakistani border, at a place called Lozano Ridge. And Geraldo (ph) and his brother were a few vehicles behind us in the convoy.

And Sean, you know how incredible this is, in those days the United States military did not even have armored Humvees on the battlefield. If you think about what that context brings--

HANNITY: They didn't have--

LOGAN: They didn't even have armor under the vehicles.

HANNITY: That's what I just said, armored Humvees.

LOGAN: They didn't even think they needed it.

HANNITY: Wrong, so wrong. And I bring this up, because wow I mean you were all - you risked your life to report and I watched you on 60 Minutes, I always thought you did a great job.

LOGAN: Thanks.

HANNITY: And you say this, which is just the fact and it's chronicled, and look at the media today. I say I'm a talk show host. I say I also do opinion and news and investigative reporting, I do it all.

And 85 percent, I think it's closer to 90 percent, that are liberal and you can see it. And you say you need two sources. That's so far gone. Why if you tell the truth like that, do you believe you just pretty much committed career suicide?

LOGAN: Well, it's obvious right, because you get targeted and it's the same group of people. They're already starting to target me again now and I expected it. And I was joking that I'm embraced for fire and fury because I know they're going to come after me again and I'm not the only one.

I mean the same people come after you, right, one of them The Sparrow Project. I mean this person was tweeting today, Hannity, watch out about Laura Logan's stuff, right?

And there's more coming, Michael Calderon who was at The Huffington Post, I can literally give you the script now. I can tell you who the players are; Joe Hagan, Brian Stelter. I mean, it's the same people all the time.

HANNITY: Humpty Dumpty.

LOGAN: And they're all saying the same things, and they come after Sharyl Attkisson, they come after you, they come after me. I mean, if there are any independent voices out there, if there are any journalists who are not beating the same drum and giving the same talking points, then we pay the price.

You know what's interesting, Sean, they cannot take down the substance of what you're saying, right? They cannot go after the things that matter. So they smear you personally. They go after your integrity, they go after your reputation as a person and as a professional, and they'll stop at nothing.

So, I am not the only one, and I am just - like I am done, right, I am tired of it. And they don't get to write my story anymore. They do not get to speak for me. I want to say loudly and clearly to anybody who's listening, I am not owned, nobody owns me, right. I'm not owned by the Left, I'm not owned by the Right.

HANNITY: I don't even know what your politics are, I really don't.

LOGAN: Because it does not matter. I'm not going to lie to you and pretend I have no - like I have biases, that's just not true, right? I mean, that's a part of who we are as human beings. We all have opinions on things. I don't pretend I don't have opinions.

My point about the sources is that I've worked with so many great journalists. I can tell you many of their names, Sara Carter is one of them. I have so much respect for her work. And there are so many people at 60 Minutes and in many other places who I have such great respect for.

And that's because I didn't invent this. Journalists have always needed two independent first-hand sources. That's always been the standard that we work to. It's not me, I'm not alone, I'm not the only one. And people know - people know that we've slipped. People know that when you're not - when those are no longer your standards, that - that raises questions if you're honest.

HANNITY: I would love - I've met your husband who - I don't know if he's going to like I'm saying this - who's really an American Hero and I know you guys are raising your kid.

LOGAN: Thank you.

HANNITY: I mean this sincerely, I hope my bosses at Fox find a place for you. I know that you want to still do great work and independent, and I think it would be a service if you did. I hope that you telling truth doesn't end up in career suicide for you. We need the fair and honest investigative voices, the people that do look for the sources.

LOGAN: What's funny, I heard one of your paid people on Fox saying, Lara it sounded like a job interview to me. And then going on to put a whole lot of words in my mouth that actually I never said. Let's just be honest.

Look at the interview, hear what I said, and then listen to him, and you can see that I didn't say that. I don't need to use - I don't need to fall back into dishonesty. And by the way, it's not a job interview, right? I don't know if Fox would want to hire me, because nobody is going to own me.

HANNITY: You keep doing your great work, but I got to run, you keep up the good work and-

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right, our villain of the day tonight has really earned this title. Hoda Muthana moved to Syria to marry a member of ISIS, from Alabama. Now she wants to come back to the U.S. She's not even a U.S. citizen.

President responded to her request on Twitter, I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, he fully agrees. She's not coming back.

All right. We are not the hate mob Trump media. Let not your heart be troubled. There's Laura Ingraham. I didn't have time for the mail again. I'm so bad at showtime management.

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