'Hannity' on Biden avoiding taking blame

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Democrats using COVID as a fear factor

Rep. Dr. Ronny Jackson and Dr. Nicole Saphier offer reaction and analysis on 'Hannity'

This is a rush transcript of "Hannity" on December 22, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS HOST: That it's about it for us tonight. Don't forget, a brand new episode of "Tucker Carlson Today" featuring Eric Metaxas is out now and you can stream on FOX Nation on tuckercarlson.com.

And we've got Chaffetz in for Sean, who I don't think has eaten a bug, but I don't know.

JASON CHAFFETZ, FOX NEWS HOST: Oh, yeah, fried grasshoppers. We've got to bring you to a state fair. We've got to get you out there. Slap a little butter on it and it taste good.

WATTERS: All right. I'm in, I'm in.

CHAFFETZ: You always learn something when you watch Jesse Watters. So, thanks for sharing that.

It's a good segue into the HANNITY program. Jesse, thank you and merry Christmas.

All right. Well, welcome to HANNITY. I'm Jason Chaffetz. I'm in for Sean.

And breaking earlier tonight, the U.S. Supreme Court just announced that it would to hear oral arguments in separate challenges to Biden's vaccine mandates.

Ultimately, the court will decide the fate of these draconian measures. More on this coming up.

But first, we begin with a video of President Joe Biden who was released just a few hours after Biden told Americans to wear masks indoors and all times. But here he is enjoying a lavish musical performance at the White House, no mask whatsoever. Of course, everyone in the U.S. Marine Corps band was wearing masks, but not Joe or Jill. The rules do not apply to them or any of the celebrities they invited to the White House this Christmas to entertain them.

Everyone else must comply with local, state, federal restrictions, no matter what, unless of course you are an illegal immigrant. There are no vaccine or mask mandates at the border where the migrant surge is now ongoing, in the middle of a pandemic.

Remember, over a year ago, Biden promised that he had a plan to shut on the virus. But today, he's not sure that the United States will ever overcome COVID-19. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MUIR, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: You said on July 4th, I know you remember it well. You told the American people we are closer than ever to our independence from a deadly virus.

Do you think you over-promised?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, we were closer than ever. But there's a lot we don't know. I'm sure you're going to ask me, when this is going to end, how are we going to do this, are you sure you are going to able overcome the delta virus -- excuse me, the virus, COVID-19? The answer is the expectation is yes because we have the best scientists in the world and we are moving so rapidly compared to other countries. But we don't know, we don't know for sure.

MUIR: The vice president said in recent days that you didn't see delta coming, you didn't see omicron coming. How did you get it wrong?

BIDEN: How did I get it wrong? Nobody saw it coming. Nobody in the whole world who saw it coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: There's been a winter surge every year of the pandemic. So to answer question, Joe, everyone saw it coming except for you.

Meanwhile, Biden's mandates and restrictions are doing little if anything to mitigate the virus, all the while causing serious problems for many Americans. But Joe Biden doesn't seem to care. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Petitioning to the Supreme Court to repeal your vaccine mandate. They think that it's going to harm the society. What would you say?

BIDEN: I'd say no. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Labor shortages, supply chain issues, unacceptable inflation rates, a totally open border and a spike in COVID-19. But the president of the United States is either unwilling or unable to answer basic questions in a serious way.

It should come as no surprise that Biden's approval numbers continue to fall. One recent poll shows Biden's approval plummeting eight points among independents in just one week. Now, two-thirds of independents disapproved of Joe Biden.

Here with reaction, former Massachusetts senator and also an ambassador, and U.S. ambassador to the New Zealand, Scott Brown, and former White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus.

Gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us here.

Reince, I want to start with you, because we were going to shut down the virus, not shut down the economy. That is what Joe Biden promised and said. But it hasn't quite gone like that, Reince.

REINCE PRIEBUS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Yeah, well, Jason, the only thing worse than a lawyer is a lawyer that is also a hypocrite. Just ask Jimmy Swaggart and Elliott Spitzer. Biden wrapped himself up in a promise that defined him and his presidency. He said he was going to end the pandemic.

He attacked Donald Trump during the campaign and he said that Donald Trump's testing was a travesty. And now he blames the lack of testing as a reason for the omicron virus -- variant and he said no one could have known that this was the case except, as you mentioned Jason, his advisor, Dr. Fauci, has been talking about these variants and the fact that there would be variants for months.

And just three days ago, Fauci and the head of the NIH said no, in fact, they did predict that omicron was going to make it to the United States and become a big problem.

Look, when you base your entire existence and your presidency on a promise to the American people, even if the promise was something that he should not have made, he made that promise, he made Americans believe that he was going to end this virus. Of course, it has been mishandled and nothing is better today. In fact, people could argue it's far worse today than it was before Joe Biden became president.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah. Senator, I saw Congressman Jim Jordan, one of my favorites, he tweeted on something today that I thought was great. He simply said, if the Biden plan works, then why doesn't it work? It is a great question, right? I don't know how I would answer that.

SCOTT BROWN (D), FORMER U.S. SENATOR FOR MASSACHUSETTS: Well, first of all, we all want the president's plan to work because if it works than America is doing well, but sadly it's not. I'm sure that he's fairly happy that the year is almost over because it's been one of the worst years and any president's history. High inflation, high cost of goods, supply chain issues, home heating oil and natural gas. You could go on, and on, and on, the porous borders.

You know, you have the terrorists running Afghanistan now. I don't even want to keep going because it's almost Christmas. That being said, I'm glad that he actually said that president Trump and the administration did a good job getting the virus out.

And I want to thank the President Trump and the scientists and the people that go through the process of approval for getting it out in a timely basis. Can you imagine what this country would be like if we didn't have not one, not to, but three, as we do, plus other treatments? Can you imagine where we would be right now?

So, I'm very thankful to President Trump and obviously the people I referenced. We need to find a better way. We need to get those kids own self testing beard I encourage people to get vaccines. And we need to use common sense.

What we should not -- we should not shut down the economy again. And put everybody into hiding and have mental health and other physical health issues with people and citizens. We need to find a way through this.

CHAFFEZ: Yeah. President Trump's vision of the public-private partnership and blowing through all the red tape is probably something that Donald Trump did better than anything. But as I look now to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, they are all about mandates. They are all about more red tape. They are all about putting masks on kids and doing these other things.

But, Reince, they can't seem to live with their own mandates they put out there. We just did that at the beginning of the segment showing video -- they can't go out and talk about masks and then the next day when you look at pictures and see them not in masks.

PRIEBUS: That's what we're just talking what, being a hypocrite, being something other than what you promise people that she would be. The difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is that Donald Trump said hey, we are going to get a vaccine by Christmas. Remember that? And everyone laughed at him. He kept the promise.

What Senator Brown just mentioned was a great list of things that Joe Biden promised he wasn't going to do. He said there wasn't going to be a mandatory vaccine. Well, guess what? There is. He said he wasn't going to do mandatory mask. There he is.

He said that he was going to get the ports -- he was going to get the ports open in 24/7 -- remember that? He said he wasn't going to leave any Americans behind. He broke that promise. He said he was going to get a handle on gas prices. He broke that.

I mean, this guy, unfortunately, this president, all he does is make promises, break promises, and I think her parents have told us about what that's all about. And it is making for his numbers to go into the tank.

CHAFFETZ: Senator, last word to you about the hypocrisy. It is not just Biden, it is up and down. You see it happening in California, New York, and Chicago, and other places.

BROWN: Well, you do. And I had to say it, but it's in a lot of the blue cities especially where the salt of the spike you don't hear any criticism from the president or his administration. But when Florida and other countries -- sorry, other states were going through it and not wearing masks and trying to do things a little differently, it was total criticism. So, I find it hypocritical.

I also find it frustrating, because I want the president to do well. I want our country to do well. Because if we do well, the entire world does well.

And, right now, we're having struggles. Look at Russia, look at China, look at the other bad actors who are testing us on a daily basis, and it's a little bit scary. You know, we need to obviously get the act together in Washington, D.C., for sure.

CHAFFETZ: Thank you to both of you, and merry Christmas to both of you. Thank you for joining us tonight on HANNITY. We do appreciate it.

All right. More breaking news tonight, President Biden just announced that he will seek a second term if he is in good health. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUIR: I want to ask you about something I asked weeks before the election when we sat down. You said you would absolutely serve eight years if elected. Do you plan to run for reelection?

BIDEN: Yes. But look, I'm a great respecter of fate. Fate has intervened in my life many, many times. If I am in the health I am now, if I'm in good health, then, in fact, I would run again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Coming up, Congressman Ronny Jackson, the former White House physician, will be with us to talk about more about Biden's mental and physical health.

But first, more on COVID-19. A year ago as a candidate, Joe Biden blasted President Trump's handling of COVID-19. He called on Trump to resign and take full responsibility for the 220,000 Americans who died from COVID-19. He also called the lack of testing a travesty.

Twelve months later, more than 800,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. Another variant is now spiking and tests are in short supply. But Joe Biden wants the American people to cut him some slack. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: We need to scale up testing. So anyone who needs one can get tested. After ten months of the pandemic, we still don't have enough testing. It is a travesty.

REPORTER: What is your message to Americans are trying to get tested now and who are not able to get tested and are wondering what took so long to ramp up testing?

BIDEN: Come on, what took so long?

REPORTER: I'm hearing that from people try to get tested now before the holidays.

BIDEN: Well, what took so long is it didn't take long at all. What happened was the omicron virus spread more rapidly than anybody thought.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: In major cities across the country, Americans are waiting in line for hours just to get a COVID-19 test. But don't expect Biden to take responsibility. He is not a man of his word. He's a dishonest career politician.

And now, as long as Biden and other Democrats are in charge, blue states and cities will continue to experience chaos and hysteria every time a new COVID-19 variant emerges.

True to form, the state of California is now mandating boosters for all health care workers.

We do have some good news to report, the FDA finally authorized the first antiviral COVID-19 treatment bill and it is being called a major step forward in the fight against COVID-19.

Well, joining us tonight with more is FOX News medical contributor, Dr. Nicole Saphier, and the author of "Holding the Line", Texas congressman, Dr. Ronny Jackson.

Doctors, I want to thank you for joining us tonight.

I want to start with Dr. Saphier, because quite frankly, she's my favorite of the three of us sitting here. I want to talk about masks and the mask mandate, because it's driving me crazy that, you know, 4-year-olds on airplanes or having to get masked. I saw the story earlier this week about kids in New York City sitting on the 32-degree outside separated from the other classmates trying to have a meal, but having to also wear masks.

What is going on with masks? What's the reality, Dr. Saphier?

DR. NICOLE SAPHIER, FOX NEWS MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, Jason, I can tell you as we see omicron going around right now, it is extremely contagious, highly transmissible. The single cloth mask that the children are wearing are likely going to be ineffective, not really doing anything, because as we see such a high transmission, it is likely a lot of these virus particles, and we know the single air cloth masks really don't do much for that.

Many people are having mild systems or even asymptomatic, so it's not going to be those heavy respiratory droplets that are transmitting the virus as may be we saw more of an some the other variants. I put out a tweet earlier this week saying, at this point, these masks on children are really for optics and it's time to remove these masks as they are not really decreasing transmission, all they are doing is having some negative impact on the children.

Now, the best thing you can do for your child is if they have chronic medical conditions is to get them vaccinated after a discussion with your pediatrician. I can tell you just based on the CDC data alone, over two- thirds of children have already been exposed to under covered from COVID-, that is our lowest risk population. And about 10 to 15 percent, may be more are vaccinated.

So, it's extremely low risk population. Already has a lot of surrounded immunity within themselves. It is time to remove the mask and focus on providing high-quality masks to high risk individuals.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah, you would think that targeting though those at the highest risk would be the prior. Now, I'm toggling between COVID-19 and Joe Biden saying that he wants to run again if he's doing as well physically as he's doing now, but Dr. Jackson, you've seen presidents up close and personal here. What did you think of that when you saw and heard Joe Biden say that he was in such great health?

REP. RONNY JACKSON (R-TX): Well, Jason, I think that's a low bar. I can tell you right now, I can tell you right now he is not physically or especially cognitively fit to be a present currently. There is no way he's going to be that way for a second term.

So, it was comical when I heard him say that. I just thought to myself, you know, the whole world is watching. The whole world knows that he is having cognitive issues right now. That was just kind of a crazy thing to say.

But I think he may be giving himself an out knowing what's on the horizon.

CHAFFETZ: Dr. Saphier, I want to go back to COVID-19 here for the second, because testing seems to be an issue that caused Joe Biden -- caught Joe Biden by surprise. I would have thought that we would have just millions of tests ready to go. I think it was December 2nd that the president said that everybody could go to their pharmacy and essentially get a free test, but I showed up at my local drugstore and oh, no, they wanted bucks for this or whatever it was.

And I'm lucky that they had one. These tests are not readily available. At I can't believe we are this far into it and you can't go get tested as easy as can be.

SAPHIER: Well, Jason, I can tell you, I had the privilege of interviewing president Trump in April 2020, and the first thing I asked him was, I said, where the tests, president? The lack of testing, the inability to test is the Achilles' heel of our response in the beginning of the pandemic.

Well, anyone who is quick to criticize the Trump administration and the lack of testing like myself should also be criticizing the Biden administration because here we are, nearly two years later, and we still have a complete lack of ability to efficiently test. And I can tell you, they are creating and making this problem even worse because you have Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky saying, everyone needs to get a test. You need to get a test before you see your family, you need to get a test anytime you're exposed to COVID, you need to get a test to return to work, you need to get a test to go to a Broadway show, and so on, and so on, and so on.

And maybe we should cut back on how many people we are telling to test so we can stop having such a supply shortage and the people who actually need to be tested so they can be treated to actually go and get a test.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah, you know, a fit 17-year-old who's otherwise totally healthy, I don't know why we are trying to do this to them.

Dr. Jackson, whatever happened to the whole idea of herd immunity? Whatever happened to natural immunity? What happened to all the people who did have COVID and got through it just fine? Why is it that the government still does not recognize that those people are in great shape and thank goodness they got through it and they got through it well?

JACKSON: Well, Jason, I tell you, because the Biden administration has never focused on testing, therapeutics or things like natural immunity, which are important to a lot of people out there. The reason is because they need to keep the COVID fear factor to certain level and the best way to do that is to focus on mandatory vaccines and masking. That gives them an out. So they can blame the virus on anything and everything that is not going well for them on their failed policy, on rising crime, on smash and grab, on inflation, on rising gas prices, on falling poll numbers, it gives them an out for everything.

It also gives them the ability to control our lives, which is a large part of this. So, I think if you'd -- if you don't agree with me on the outcome in the future it's going to give them another reason to call for unsolicited mail in ballots, you know, in the upcoming election.

So I think that those are things they don't care about.. Those are things that don't fit their political agenda. And I don't think you are going to hear them talk about that at all.

For the first time, they are talking about therapeutics now a little bit and talking about testing. But this is -- they are not going to acknowledge natural immunity, I don't see that happening. That goes against their end goal here.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah. Dr. Jackson, I think you are exactly right. I've got to tell you, Dr. Saphier is still my favorite. No offense, I thought you were great. Dr. Saphier is still my favorite.

SAPHIER: Oh, Jason.

CHAFFETZ: All right. Thank you both. Thank you both for coming on. Have a wonderful merry Christmas.

All right. Dr. Fauci, we always love hearing from him. He has an important message about who you are allowed to invite to Christmas this year.

Plus, we will discuss the Democratic Party's obsessive love for face masks.

And later, an important update from the Durham probe. You'll be surprise by this. If you haven't heard it, you want to hear it. Stay with us as HANNITY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to HANNITY.

This week, the self-obsessed Dr. Anthony Fauci was once again all over cable news. And with Christmas just days away, the good doctor just issued this very uplifting message about COVID-19. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NIAID: When you're dealing with any SARS-CoV- 2 or COVID-19 virus, it's a problem. When you are dealing with one that is spreading so rapidly and you are unvaccinated, the virus is going to find you.

MSNBC HOST: If someone in your family isn't vaccinated, should you ask them not to show up?

FAUCI: Yes. I would do that. I mean, I think we are dealing with the serious enough situation right now that if there's an unvaccinated person, I would say, I'm very sorry, but not this time, maybe another time when this is all over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Apparently, according to Fauci, the only real way to protect yourself from the virus is to shun your unclean relatives who refused to get vaccinated. And, of course, remember to religiously wear two masks indoors at all times.

Of course, as Joe Rogan points out, this is about something much more than safety and security. Now face masks have become a political symbol for Democrats. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE ROGAN, PODCASTER: I don't even know if they work. I mean, maybe they stop spittle from getting into someone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We know they don't work.

ROGAN: I don't think they do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't work.

ROGAN: Masks are like the Democrats' MAGA hat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we do it to make each other feel better.

ROGAN: Yeah, but that's -- I mean, that make sense to me that you wear it because it makes people feel comfortable. And I know it's a logical and I'm fine wearing it if people -- if it relaxes people and makes them feel better. But if people want to actually argue that they do something, it just doesn't make any sense, man. It doesn't make any sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: You know, spittle is a very unused -- it should be used a lot more in conversation. It's a great word.

Joining us down with reaction is Outkick founder Clay Travis, along with FOX News contributor Charlie Hurt.

Trying to work in the word spittle as they did with Joe Rogan, but, Clay, I could just see you -- you, the wife, the kids, getting together on Christmas morning. You are all going to be messed up, right? You are all going to be wearing masks? Maybe sharing a present with your loved one -- is that the way it's going to go down?

CLAY TRAVIS, OUTKICK FOUNDER: I'm thankful first of all that I live in the free state of Tennessee. And I live and travel frequently in red states because people have enough common sense to not wear masks virtually anywhere all over the South.

Let me just say this, if you are unwilling to spend this Christmas season with an unvaccinated relative, that is your own imbecilic decision. And what disappoints me so often with all of these ridiculous interviews that Fauci does, it feels like eight times a day on MSNBC and CNN. He hasn't been willing to come on FOX News. He won't come on the Clay and Buck radio show since the summer. Those invitations have been out there.

Look, he didn't even get pressed on his answer there, which is wait a minute, Dr. Fauci, why would you not let an unvaccinated person come to your party when the reality is whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, you can still spread COVID. So, you could have an unvaccinated person without COVID, you could have a vaccinated person with COVID.

The idea of whether or not you have the vaccine determining whether you are safe or unsafe for people at a party is just flagrantly untrue, it should be the immediate follow-up there if this media wasn't just slurping up everything Fauci said and never questioning him. It's shameful, it's a failure. Yet another one by MSNBC.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Charlie, I thought the point at the Joe Rogan interview was a good one. It started the MAGA hat for the left. They're wearing these masks. It is kind of virtue signaling.

CHARLIE HURT, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: It absolutely is. I think it is a great point. And quite frankly it is a big reason why Dr. Fauci and the Biden administration have done so much damage to the entire idea of people getting vaccinated.

And I love listening to Dr. Fauci complain about all these unvaccinated people. Whenever you think of people not getting vaccinated, it is a complete admission by him that he has failed in his responsibility to convince people that these vaccines are good and they are effective, and they've done this in a lot of ways.

The big way is that they -- they said that the vaccines were going to do things. In science didn't back it up and they ended up not doing it. They insisted that if you took the vaccine, he would never get sick. Now we know that that is not true. They have shifted all of it.

But one of the biggest things that they've done to undermine people's taking the vaccine is keep insisting on the mask. And I think Joe Rogan is exactly right. It's like a MAGA hat.

And the fact that it has turned into this talisman, this virtue signal by Democrats undermines a lot of people's faith and thinking that all of this is politicized and nobody, other than Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, has politicized this worse than dr. Fauci himself. And he is supposed to be a scientist or a doctor or something.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah.

Clay, I want to talk to you about sports. We are going into college football, it's going to find its moment. I have seen stories about tennis players having to wear masks, women signals tennis match and they are wearing masks for goodness sake.

What is your take on that? You follow sports real close.

TRAVIS: Yeah, look, the answer here is as we get close to college football, they just announced a new protocol that would allow a national champion to be crowned without games actually being played in the playoffs. It is possible three teams could have COVID and the only team that's eligible to play would be the champion without even having to play games. This is mindlessly insanely dumb.

All right. Here is what needs to happen. We just stop testing everybody for COVID. We don't test people for the flu. Michael Jordan got famous because of the flu game.

Young, healthy athletes are not in danger. If you are in danger and you are older, you've had an opportunity for nearly a year now to get the COVID vaccine and as many booster shots as you want to get if you are needing them and you are terrified of living your life. It is past time now for us to set a new precedent in sports, not precedent should be simple, clear, and transparent for everybody.

Everybody plays. If you feel too sick to play, you don't have to. But we should stop COVID testing. NBA, NHL, college football, every sport out there, get back to normalcy and play everybody. They are young, they are healthy, they are not in danger for COVID.

CHAFFETZ: Charlie, really quick, I've only got about seconds here, but why not just fire Dr. Fauci? I think America wants a second opinion. Why does President Biden stick with him? There's millions of people who don't believe the guy.

HURT: I think because he is doing exactly what Joe Biden wants. That is why Joe Biden is not going to fire him because he's turned into sort of a political heat shield for Joe Biden. That is why he's not going to do anything about it.

But you're right. He should be fired. He should've been fired a long time ago.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah, if they want to trust in our government, they're going to have to get rid of Dr. Fauci. More time to do the cover of "In-Style" magazine than he does to actually go out and do his job.

Gentlemen, thank you for joining us and merry Christmas to both of you.

All right. Former President Trump is weighing in on the rift between Joe Manchin in the Democratic Party.

Plus, Gregg Jarrett will join us with an important update on the Durham probe. You are going to want to hear this.

And later, one Illinois state senator was just carjacked outside of Chicago. Pastor Corey Brooks is back with more on the crime crisis in the windy cities. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to HANNITY.

The White House is still reeling from Senator Joe Manchin torpedoing the Build Back Better plan. And now, former President Donald Trump is speaking out saying, this is a good thing for the country and for Biden as well. He told FOXNews.com, quote, I think that Joe Manchin is actually helping Biden from himself, because if you look at it and you look at what was potentially going to be passed, and I'm not saying it won't, maybe he will change his mind. But it would blow this country up with inflation and with other problems.

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the White House and far left progressives in Congress are ready to let it go. Some are even calling on Biden to take executive action the key parts of the plan alive.

Here's what Jen Psaki said earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: But our objective and our focus now is moving forward. Both of our relationship and to have discussions with other members of the Democratic caucus and we are going to spend less time looking in the rearview mirror and more about looking forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: And, Biden told ABC News tonight that he isn't giving up on "Build Back Better." So what will the New Year bring?

Joining us now with reaction as Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn.

Senator, thank you so much for joining us tonight on HANNITY.

We had the pleasure and -- I had a pleasure and honor of serving with you when we are both in the House of Representatives.

Donald Trump made an interesting observation, and that is that Joe Manchin probably saved Joe Biden from himself. What's your reaction to that?

SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): I think he may be saving some of these moderate Democrats who are desperately looking for a place to land and what Joe Manchin has done is to say, okay, there's the Joe Manchin wing of the Democratic Party and then there is the Joe Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, AOC, the Squad wing of the party.

But here's what we do know, Jason, the "Build Back broke blow up", as I like to call it, is something that has rocked Washington. They did not get their way. The American people have rejected what they are offering.

In West Virginia, this is wildly unpopular. So, then, what do the celebrities and elitists do? They start demeaning and disparaging the people of West Virginia for having an opinion, and wanting to protect their freedom, and with disagreeing with the leftist socialist wing of the Democrat Party.

So I think that all of this together is making a very good environment for the Republican candidates in 2022.

BLACKBURN: Yeah, it's a really interesting because -- I don't know why they just went to such great lengths to disparage Senator Manchin and the residents of West Virginia. They still need him on every single vote moving forward and I don't see why Joe Manchin continues to put up with that.

I think the Democrats will pass something, though, out of reconciliation. They can't let that tool passed them by without passing something.

What do you think that's going to look like?

BLACKBURN: They're going to try. Yeah, they are going to try to do something. I think the problem they have now is the American people realize this is a socialist agenda. And the American people realize the Democrats are trying to take one vote to take control of your children, their education, of your bank account, your small business, force the Green New deal on you.

And people are tired of CRT. They are tired of federalizing elections. They're tired of crime in the streets. And what they are looking for is to get their freedom back.

And you know what? They're really tired of inflation and passing the Build back broke bill would make inflation worse. So, I think every day that passes, they are going to have a much more difficult time.

When you're going to the grocery store, shelves are empty. You're going to three or four grocery stores to get what you need for Christmas. When your gas is up near $3.50, $4 gallon --

CHAFFETZ: Yeah.

BLACKBURN: -- I mean, they are losing ground fast. You can look at all the polling, the economics, the security of this, people have said, no. We gave you a shot.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah.

BLACKBURN: You have dropped the ball. We're done.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah, they acted as if they had some massive left wing mandate and they did not. They never did. We should've listened to Bernie Sanders when he said that Joe Biden was going to be the most progressive president ever.

Senator Blackburn, thank you for joining us tonight on HANNITY and merry Christmas to you.

All right. Also tonight, the Durham probe into the origins of the Russia investigation is still ongoing. We are now learning that the members of Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign are not off the hook just yet.

Joining us now to explain his FOX News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett.

Gregg, there is some interesting development in the courts that gave us a little bit of a glimpse this week that kind of flew under the radar for a lot of people. But give us the latest on what's happening with the Durham probe.

GREGG JARRETT, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Durham well knows that Hillary Clinton and her campaign invented finance and decimated the Russia hoax to smear her political opponent Donald Trump.

But the latest court filling also shows that Durham is focusing squarely on members of Hillary's campaign. They were feeding phony information to Christopher Steele for his bogus dossier. And they were also receiving fictitious information that they then used to spread the FBI and the Trumpet hating global media that never bothered to check out any of the information and its veracity.

And all of this comes because Durham indicted Russian born Igor Danchenko for lying to the FBI. He was Steele's primary source. And Durham has found out, lo and behold, that the law firm representing Danchenko is the same law firm that is representing members of the Hillary Clinton campaign that are the focus, subject and target of his ongoing investigation.

So, obviously, Jason, there is a glaring disqualifying conflict of interest. The only way it could be resolved is for Danchenko to either waive it or for the lawyers to recuse it. So Durham is asking his honor in the Eastern District of Virginia, I want you to please explore and expose this conflict of interest. So, it's not a surprise that Hillary Clinton and her people who try to manipulate information to falsely accuse Trump are now trying to manipulate the legal system collusion in a court of law if you will between key witnesses and the accused.

We have also learned that Durham now knows what Hillary Clinton did. She set up the equivalent of a money-laundering scheme, except it was information that she was peddling. Her campaign hired a law firm Perkins Coie that hired Fusion GPS, that hired Christopher Steele, that hired the Russian born Danchenko.

And where was he getting his phony information? Full circle from the Hillary Clinton campaign, a long-time dirty trickster and hoaxster, Charles H. Dolan Jr., who was feeding a lot of the phony information and essentially authored the most salacious allegation in the dossier, the so- called pee tape.

So, the bottom line here is Durham knows what Hillary Clinton did and he's going after her campaign as well as Danchenko, Michael Sussman (ph), one of the lawyers for the campaign, and others.

CHAFFETZ: Yeah, I don't know why it has taken Durham so long, but it is encouraging to hear and see court filings. I believe they have until Friday to respond to this conflict of interest that is pointed out by Durham.

But, Gregg Jarrett, thank you so much for being on top of this and thanks for joining us tonight and merry Christmas.

All right. Coming up, violent crime is surging in America's major cities. Last night, a top Illinois Democrat state senator was carjacked in the Chicago suburb. And Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is begging the federal government for help. But one local pastor is taking action on his own pair and he will join us next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to HANNITY.

A shocking wave of violent crime is sweeping across America cities and no one seems to be immune. Earlier today, Democratic Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania was carjacked at gunpoint after a meeting in Philadelphia. And in a separate incident in Illinois, a Democrat state senator was carjacked in the Chicago suburb.

It has gotten so bad that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, once a vocal defund the police advocate is now begging President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland for help.

But in the face of government in action, one man is taking a stand of doing what he can to make his community a better place.

Joining us now live from his rooftop vigil in Chicago, Pastor Corey Brooks.

Pastor, you started this around Thanksgiving. And you're planning is to stay up there until past Valentine's Day. You know it gets cold in Chicago.

But tell -- why you're doing this and what is your message to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. I mean, she wanted to cut police budgets and how she's begging for more money.

PASTOR COREY BROOKS, PROJECTHOOD.ORG: What I'm doing, I'm standing here for days to bring attention and awareness to the violence in Chicago. The most of all to build a community center right here in one of the toughest communities in Chicago where we've experienced a lot of crime. It is a very sad commentary of what we see in going on in Chicago and now in Philadelphia across America where crime seems to be spreading. I've said before that it's a lot like cancer. If you don't deal with it, it spreads.

So, that's exactly what we are seeing. That is why I'm here. We have a model that works. That's the reason why I'm asking all of America to help support what we are trying to do, because when we built this, I have know what doubt that we can transform their lives and if we don't do that, crime is going to continue, the lawlessness is going to continue, and we must do something about it. We need all of America to come to our side and help us.

CHAFFETZ: And where did they go to find that or to help out. What's the website?

BROOKS: It's Projecthood.org, Projecthood.org.

CHAFFETZ: Now, you know, more power to you, because I've got to tell you, unless you do this community by community, you are going to struggle to take back the streets the way you want them to. You know, it's often these -- you know, minority owned businesses and communities that are -- they are probably more -- they get affected more by the crime or the lack of police presence, using this up close and personal. What do you see?

BROOKS: Absolutely. There are businesses who are simply failing because of the crime in communities. If we don't do something about the crime in areas like the one where we live, we are going to see businesses continue to close. Right down on the street from us, we had McDonald's of all things close. We had a Walgreens that closed. Those were large businesses that cannot exist in his crime-ridden areas.

So, if they can't exist, then you know that small businesses can't either. It's become very important that we deal with these issues right now before it even becomes more critical. It is already critical, it is already urgent. We have to do something right now.

CHAFFETZ: Now, building of this community center that you want to -- that you envision, how is that going to help the he community? What exactly is it going to do?

BROOKS: Well, we're just going to build capacity for programs we already have, construction classes, electrical classes, entrepreneurial classes, providing trauma for those young kids who've been traumatized by victims of violence. It is going to give us an opportunity to have safe places for young people to grow up so that they can be the effective American citizens.

Every child deserves a place, where they're going to have a safe space where they can grow and develop. But sorry to say in Chicago, that's not the case. So we need centers like this that are totally focused on transformation for the family from every age and stage.

CHAFFETZ: Pastor, I've got to tell you, I've seen some good work in places like Baltimore and whatnot and more power to you, because it's going to take people like you, not some government handouts, that's going to make the difference in those young people's lives to break that cycle of poverty and crime and everything else.

So thank you so much. Merry Christmas to you. And thanks for joining us on HANNITY.

BROOKS: Merry Christmas to you.

CHAFFETZ: All right. More HANNITY after the break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to HANNITY. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have left this evening. Many thanks to Sean Hannity and his team for allowing me to sit in and share this, and have this opportunity. I do appreciate it.

Make sure you check out my podcast, "Jason in the House". You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts. All you do is type in "Jason in the House", I think you will enjoy it. Brandon Judd, the head of the national border patrol council, is on, and listen to some of the other ones. I think you'll enjoy these interviews.

I really do appreciate it, and I do hope that this Christmas season, we take time to pause and thank those who are know home for Christmas, who are serving in our United States military -- the men and women overseas protecting the goodness of the United States of America.

Raymond Arroyo is in tonight for Laura Ingraham.

Raymond, we'll leave it with you.

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