Hannity calls out January 6th committee, addresses text message to Mark Meadows
Sean Hannity says he condemned the Capitol riot from the start, pushes back on criticism after Rep. Liz Cheney read text messages sent to Mark Meadows on January 6.
This is a rush transcript of "Hannity" on December 14, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
HANNITY: And welcome to HANNITY.
And tonight, I will address Liz Cheney. I will address the sham January committee. I will address the dishonest media mob and their BFF friends in the Democratic Party.
But we begin tonight with an important number, the number is 574, because that's how many violent riots ripped through this country in the summer of 2020, 574.
Now, dozens of Americans were killed during these nights of terror. More than 2,000 police officers were injured. Some were run over by cars, others stabbed. They were pelted with bricks and rocks and water bottles and frozen water bottles and Molotov cocktails. You had a police precinct literally in Minneapolis burned to the ground. Another precinct in Seattle was seized and occupied in the CHAZ/Chop, autonomous summer of love zone by rioters for weeks. You had a federal courthouse in Portland that was lit on fire every night pretty much for months, 14,000 arrests were made during these riots.
In Kenosha, 35 businesses were completely destroyed. In Minnesota, nearly 100 businesses were burned to the ground. All told, rioters, looters, vandals damaged 4,000 businesses, 4,000 and caused more than $2 billion in damage.
Americans work hard. Their livelihoods, their dreams all up in smoke. And worst of all, dozens of Americans, they never made it home.
But on Capitol Hill, there's no committee, there's no commission for any of these victims. There's no investigation at all into the 574 violent riots that your media mob described as mostly peaceful whatsoever. No probe into politicians like Kamala Harris, you know, when she promoted the bail fund for rioters, giving them the freedom to commit more acts of violence. No honest questions about why then candidate Joe Biden all but ignored these riots for months on end, didn't even mention it in his DNC speech.
Instead, there's only one commission and that's for the riot that occurred at the U.S. Capitol building January 6, 2020. Now, that's because these lawmakers, they don't really care about you. If they did, they'd have a committee. They'd have a commission.
They care about their house, not your house. They care about their neighborhood, not your neighborhood. They care about their office, not your office. They care about their lives, not your lives. Otherwise, they would have equal treatment for every riot.
Now, all riots obviously are bad, all of them. And on this program, we strongly condemn the violence on January 6, just like we condemned all of the violent riots from the summer of 2020. We have remained and will be forever consistent.
For example, here's how I reacted in real time, this was happening during my radio show on January 6 as this riot started to unfold. Take a listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: I've seen one or two videos of some vandalism. Every good, decent, honorable American would condemn all violence and urge any protesters that want to go down that road. You know, I see a lot of older people, moms and dads and families and stuff. But y'all -- there's always going to be the agitators in some of these groups.
The people that seem to always want to praise peaceful protesters are the media and the Democratic Party because they went to great lengths to defend and even instances where there was violence, they didn't condemn the violence. I condemn anybody involved in any incident involved in violence. It's that simple.
We got to protect everybody and I don't care whether you agree with somebody who disagree. Protect our police, you got to protect kids that are at this rally, and older people that are at this rally.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: That was on my radio show as this was all unfolding. That night, right here on this program, we covered January 6, and this is what I said that night. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Let me stop here and be crystal clear, those who truly support President Trump, those that believe they are part of the conservative movement in this country, you do not -- we do not support those that commit acts of violence. They -- people we don't believe should be vandalizing our nation's capital, attacking the brave men and women that keep us safe in law enforcement, and all of today's perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
But every good and decent American we know will and must condemn what happened at the Capitol. And moving forward, we have got to do a dramatically better job protecting the innocent men and women who work there. We've got to protect our law enforcement officers. We've got to protect every single elected member of the Congress and Senate. This is not politics. They deserve to be protected.
The world, our enemies saw a weakness and vulnerability that should never exist in our nation's capital. We need to fix that immediately for everybody's sake. We all need answers what went wrong, how did this happen, how can we prevent it from ever happening again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: In other words, I condemned the riot on January. The exact same way I condemned the riots in the summer of 2020. I said and I believe, we must always protect our American institutions, and every elected official regardless of party.
That's why we on this program, we did call for an investigation into the summer riots of 2020. That has not happened, as well as a serious and thorough investigation into the security breakdown at the U.S. Capitol and for good reason.
There are so many unanswered questions and I don't think we're going to get it from this biased committee that has already has a predetermined conclusion.
Now, like on January 6, the number one question we've got to ask ourselves, where was the National Guard? Given what happened over the summer, both President Trump, his chief of staff Mark Meadows, they called on Congress to utilize the Guard in the days before D.C. was set to host this massive crowd of demonstrators.
They -- everybody knew that there was going to be a big crowd on January the 6th. Everybody knew there would be a march to the Capitol. In the lead up to January 6, the Capitol Police chief actually requested National Guard assistance six separate times, he was denied all six times. Then in the middle of the crisis, as it's unfolding in real time, the police chief again begged five more times for backup before his requests were finally granted.
So who turned down these critical requests? President requested it. Mark Meadows, the chief of police for the Capitol Police. Well, someone needs to ask if they want the real answer about January 6, we need to investigate Nancy Pelosi because she is the one in charge of the Capitol Police. She as speaker had and has oversight over the Capitol Police. She was in charge of the so-called leader.
If this was an honest investigation, the Liz Cheney-Adam Kinzinger party commission -- committee would demand Pelosi's testimony. Nancy Pelosi's text messages her emails and her phone records.
Now, if this was an honest investigation, the committee might also ask a few questions about the left-wing activist named John Earl Sullivan, who brought a megaphone and a camera and proclaimed that he was there to instigate beep.
Now, if this was an honest investigation, they would surely seek testimony from a capitol police whistleblower that we now know exists who is now worried that the committee is going easy on the Capitol Police. If this were an honest investigation, they would look into more deep more deeply into a report from the DHS finding that, quote, ropes and climbing gear were pre-positioned and used to breach upper levels of the facility and bypass security.
Oh, that would mean it was planned ahead of time by some people. Who are they? Can we find out who they are?
If this were an honest investigation, they may actually listen to Donald Trump's words that day on January when he told his supporters, many of you will now peacefully and patriotically march to the capitol so your voices may be heard. Not your fists, not a riot, your voices. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, sadly, the hyper partisan January 6 committee is not conducting an honest investigation. That is a problem. The outcome is predetermined, I've been saying that for a long time.
The report frankly is already written, hate Trump, hate Trump, hate Trump. Blame Trump, blame Trump.
The committee is and has been a sham. It's dedicated to besmirching, smearing Donald Trump and everyone in his orbit. And as soon as Congressman Jim Jordan and Congressman Jim Banks were kicked out of the committee, the die was cast. This would be a partisan witch-hunt once again used to bludgeon Donald Trump politically.
Only the world's two most dedicated never Trump Republicans were allowed on the committee, Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney.
So out goes Jim Jordan, out goes Jim Banks, that might actually look into - - well, if everyone requested the Guard, why didn't you call them up.
And they may want to talk to the whistleblower that's saying that they were told to stand down. By the way, in comes Liz and Adam, where's the committee that is looking into the summer of 2020 rioting? Adam and Liz, they have but one obvious goal here. Their goal is to purge the Republican Party of Donald Trump and his supporters and make it impossible for Trump to run again for president. That sadly is what they're doing.
That's why I have no faith in the committee. That's why it's a sham. That's why it's the latest witch hunt. We've had how many witch hunts for how many years.
Now, last night, in a weak attempt to smear yours truly and presumably I guess President Trump, Congresswoman Cheney presented one of my text messages from January 6th to Mark Meadows. Surprise, surprise, surprise, I said to Mark Meadows the exact same thing I was saying live on the radio at that time and on TV that night on January 6th and well beyond January 6th.
And by the way, where is the outrage in the media over my private text messages being released again publicly? Do we believe in privacy in this country? Apparently not. It's not my first rodeo, like the thousands of HANNITY text messages released to the public over the years in FOIA requests, other leaks.
I am an honest straightforward person. I say the same thing in private that I say to all of you.
Liz Cheney knows this. She doesn't seem to care. She's interested in one thing and one thing only, smearing Trump and purging him from the party. And now, she is partnering with the very same people -- interestingly, it's a great question for her if somebody ever gets a chance to interview her, why would you partner with the very people that referred to your father as an evil, murdering war criminal and a crook on top of it? In order to take, what, one last shot at the former president?
And according to my sources, this is just a few years after Liz and her family begged and begged and begged Donald Trump to pardon Scooter Libby which Donald Trump did and in the interest of full disclosure, I'd like to see any communication between the Cheney family, that means Liz, that means her sister, mom, dad, anybody in the family that they had with President Trump on behalf of Scooter Libby or any other matter. Let's release any and all emails and texts. Liz, let's release your phone records and text and your family discussing Donald Trump, considering you're so free to release everybody else's.
Now, clearly, Liz Cheney has lost her way. She will lose her seat and then I'm sure probably make a fortune like her father at Halliburton or some other big conglomerate and make millions probably doing next to nothing.
And meanwhile, one of Cheney's no name Democratic colleagues has apparently never watched this program. I will address this. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JIM MCGOVERNOR (D-MA): This would be a good time for these hosts to use their platforms to tell the American people the truth, just like they were privately texting Mark Meadows the truth on that terrible day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Hey, Jimbo, I have no idea who the hell you are. I have always been consistent on January and every other riot. Did you speak out about the summer of 2020 riots?
Now, if you finally turn off MSDNC and fake news CNN once in a while and maybe watch this program, you would know all of this, and then you could stop speaking out of your Adam Schiff hole.
Now, for the meantime that I have your attention, I have a question for you, Jimbo. Have you ever called for a commission on the 574 riots from the summer of 2020? Because if you didn't, that tells me your political motivations.
Liz Cheney, have you ever called for a committee on the riots in the summer of 2020? Adam Kinzinger, have you?
Last year, I spoke with this gentleman, Horace Lorenzo Anderson Sr., his son Horace Lorenzo Anderson Jr., he was murdered in that Seattle, lawless, autonomous, CHAZ, CHOP, summer of love zone.
Do any of you even know who that is right there this man, in a heart- wrenching interview? I'll tell you one politician that does know. His name is Donald Trump. How do I know? Because he called Horace Lorenzo Anderson himself.
Are these riots not worthy of a committee investigation? And what about this man, this retired Police Captain David Dorn? Remember him? He was shot during that riot in St. Louis.
Liz, do you care about the dozens of lives that were lost in the summer of 2020, the billions in property damage, the thousands of cops injured? Or is your hatred of Donald Trump and desire to purge him from the Republican Party, is that more important, Liz?
But I do owe you a congratulations. You are a rock star now to the media mob, temporarily. They'll turn on you again, and inside the Democratic Party.
I hope you like Joe Biden's foreign policy. I know much the Cheney's care about foreign policy. Everyone is talking about a riot on January 2020.
Well, while we're doing that, we're not talking about a 39-year high with inflation. We're not talking about wholesale prices are up nearly 10 percent this month, the highest increase in more than a decade. We're not talking about the supply chain crisis. We're not talking about the crisis at the southern border.
We're not talking about the crisis that is the lack of law and order, and safety and security in many American cities because of defund, dismantle, and no bail laws. We're not talking about abandoning all those Americans in Afghanistan. We're not talking about rising tensions with China, Russia and Iran. And we're not talking about Joe Biden's cognitive decline which seems precipitous.
And Democrats and the media mob, for them, this commission is a welcome political distraction at a time when they have nothing positive that they can offer you the American people.
Here with more is the man who was kicked off the committee, Indiana Congressman Jim Banks.
I'd like your take on it. I really do believe -- I actually early on called for a commission I want a commission and a committee for the riots of the summer of 2020.
But once they kicked you and Jim Jordan off and replaced you with two Trump-hating Republicans, I knew that the fix was in and it was a predetermined outcome, am I wrong?
REP. JIM BANKS (R-IN): Yeah, you're exactly right, Sean.
Today, we had over an hour of debate on the floor and there was absolutely not a word spoken by Liz Cheney or the Democrats about anything related to protecting the Capitol, the breakdown of security at the Capitol on January 6, or what we're going to do to make sure that another January doesn't happen at the United States Capitol. They don't care about that.
The only thing they care about is tearing down their political opponents and in this case putting their political opponents in jail. They know that Mark Meadows is a good man because they served with him for seven years. He actually wrote for over 40 bills with Liz Cheney herself and introduced those bills into Congress.
He worked across the aisle. He traveled with Democrats. He worked with Democrats.
They know he did nothing wrong, but because he is associated with Donald Trump, they want to put him behind bars. Imagine, Sean, if they can do that to Mark Meadows, imagine what they can do to any of you just because you disagree with the Democrats or you supported Donald Trump, or you're a Republican that supports the Trump agenda, it's absolutely shameful.
HANNITY: I want to go to who is in charge. We now know that Donald Trump, we know Mark Meadows. We know the Capitol police chief all requested the guard be brought, in light of what happened in the summer before, makes sense, right? Just in case something went wrong, crowds were going to be there. There could be potential trouble whenever you have crowds that big.
Why was that request denied? And am I right in my understanding that Nancy Pelosi is in charge of the Capitol Police?
BANKS: This is exactly why Nancy Pelosi kicked Jim Jordan and I off the committee, because from the outset, the moment that Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, appointed me to lead the Republican side, Jim Jordan to serve on the committee, we started asking this question.
The trail leads back to Nancy Pelosi's office. She's in a position of authority over the United States Capitol.
We had the leadership of the United States Capitol Police union tell us that they weren't prepared for what happened on January 6. They weren't equipped for it. They weren't trained for it, even though there was intelligence weeks before January that something like this could happen.
We were asking those questions, Sean, and that's why Pelosi immediately fired us from the committee because she doesn't want to go there.
HANNITY: All right. Let me ask you this, last question, exit question -- can you, Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy do a real commission and answer those questions so this never happens again? And can we have a commission on the 547 riots in the summer of 2020? I think that would be fair.
BANKS: Yes. And, Sean, we are we're continuing to interview and conduct our own investigation on our side to secure the Capitol, prevent something like this from happening again, and also telling the American people the truth about what this fake politicized commission that that Pelosi and Liz Cheney and others are leading.
Liz Cheney is now the new Adam Schiff. She's got her hands on emails and texts. She's leaking them. She's using them for political purposes and abusing her power.
We're actually digging into the facts about what happened on January 6, so that we can secure the Capitol, change the bureaucratic mess that allowed that travesty to happen to make sure that something like that never happens again.
HANNITY: Congressman Jim Banks, thank you. I look forward to your report, instead of this predetermined outcome report.
Here now, the host of "Unfiltered," Dan Bongino, FOX News correspondent at large, Geraldo Rivera.
Let's start with you, Dan Bongino.
You know, if -- for both of you, if we're going to have a committee, it's got to be fair. They stack the deck, they have a predetermined outcome. This is a waste of taxpayer time and money.
Dan, you go first.
DAN BONGINO, FOX NEWS HOST, "UNFILTERED": Right, Sean, this committee's an embarrassment. It's an immoral, unethical, unconstitutional disgrace to humanity. What Liz Cheney did last night was disgusting. Liz Cheney should never be welcomed in polite company in the Republican Party again.
What she did -- you know, she runs on dad's last name. She's never had a serious job. She's disgraced herself. So she decided yesterday to go and read people's private text messages, pursuant to subpoena power they don't have in Congress.
Remember, Supreme Court's already ruled. They're not a law enforcement entity. It's Congress. It's supposed to have some legislative intent.
Can I ask you this? What was the legislative intent to read Sean Hannity's texts, Laura Ingraham's text and Brian Kilmeade's text? What was the legislative intent? Can anybody answer that?
This is one thing and one thing only. This is an attempt to silence conservatives like you and I from communicating before the 2022 election. That's all this is.
And it's a message being sent to anyone who supports Donald Trump either now or in the future, that it's open season on you. It's hunting season for your private communications, don't you dare talk about your intentions or coordinate or do anything to get a Republican elected again because Liz Cheney will make sure that they subpoena you and make your life really miserable. That's all this was.
HANNITY: This is the second time this has happened to me. Last time, it was about 1,200 of my personal correspondence, private texts. I thought we had privacy in the country.
Geraldo, the big question here though is what is the point when you have an abusively corrupt, biased committee like this? And how come they only investigate one riot and ignore 547 riots that hurt thousands of cops caused, billions of dollars in damage and killed dozens of Americans? Can you explain why?
GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT AT LARGE: Let me answer the second question first. Because the obvious difference between the riot that happened on January 6th and the 500-odd that you correctly cite as concerning and damaging to America, to our psyche, to our physical well- being, is that this was a riot that was unleashed, incited and inspired by the president of the United States which targeted the part of American democracy.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: No stop, the president said peacefully, patriotically march to the Capitol. That's your opinion. I don't even want to go down that road. That's not the question tonight. The question, is this corrupt committee? The question is, why this riot and not other 574 riots? The question is, is there any privacy in this country anymore or do they get to release thousands more of individual private citizens texts?
RIVERA: I beg you, Sean, to remember the frame of mind you were in when you wrote that text on January 6th, and when Laura did, and when Brian did, and when Don Jr. did. Remember the concern you had. Remember the frustration you had at our beloved 45th president --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Yeah, because I wanted -- I wanted the riot to end.
RIVERA: Where was he? How can be doing this? Why doesn't he say something? Why --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Okay, but the point is, he did.
RIVERA: You saw unfolding before you -- you saw unfolding --
HANNITY: He did.
RIVERA: -- before your very eyes an attack on democracy.
HANNITY: Let me give it to Dan.
RIVERA: An attack on the Constitution, an attack on the Capitol of the United States of America.
HANNITY: He said peacefully and then he did do it.
Dan, you have less than a minute. We're running out of time.
BONGINO: Geraldo, we've been arguing about this forever. The backstabbing of the president you're engaging in is really disgusting, and it's really vile that you pretend to be this guy's friend --
RIVERA: I really resent that, I resent that. I supported Donald Trump --
(CROSSTALK)
BONGINO: He said, it's on tape, I don't care if you resented.
RIVERA: -- until he had abandoned democracy.
BONGINO: Let me respond.
RIVERA: He abandoned the election results and he refused to accept --
(CROSSTALK)
BONGINO: March peacefully and patriotically, Geraldo.
RIVERA: -- the will of the American people.
HANNITY: All right. Nobody can hear you. We've got to leave it there.
BONGINO: You stabbed him in the back. You heard it.
HANNITY: Thank you -- thank you both.
Straight ahead, the media had a complete meltdown over Mark Meadows text. We're going to play the insanity. Mike Huckabee and Joe Concha, they might lower the heat a little bit. We'll get you the truth you will never get from the media mob, straight ahead.
Thank you for being with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Now, predictably tonight, the rage-filled media mob is melting down over new text messages revealing that prominent conservatives, including myself were deeply concerned about the January 6 riot at the Capitol and called on and sent a note to Mark Meadows to get the president to hopefully have some influence, if it was possible, which by the way he did do.
Here's just a small sample of fake news and some of the coverage. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We all knew it was violent. We knew it was wrong. We knew it was undemocratic, un-American. Well, so did the host at the FOX propaganda network. This is the really stunning part because they pretend like it wasn't a big deal now. Oh my gosh, it was a tourist event.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I for one am shocked that FOX News host was saying stuff in private different to what they say in public. Shocked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were lying. They knew instinctively in real time that this was a desperate moment that the capital was being attacked. They were pleading to the president, showing that they weren't really functioning as political functionaries nothing resembling journalists in that administration. And so, all their public denials both in Congress and on TV are all lies.
They all knew the truth in real time because it was self-evident and they've tried to create a false impression in going forward to protect the president, to protect the administration, to protect their own reputations and they played their audiences for fools.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: These are the same dupes that -- remember the rioting in the summer of 2020, you have a big city on fire, mostly peaceful protesting. I'm like okay. Of course, unlike -- by the way, it's probably one of the reasons nobody watches these people.
Unlike Democrats in the mob, we have been consistent here on this program, as I laid out my opening monologue in condemning all violence, condemning rioting anywhere, and being honest and real about talking about dangers when there is a breakdown of law and order anywhere, any place, any time.
That's not stopping circle back Jen Psaki. She lies herself from fueling more lies like, oh, they don't need a COVID test because they're not going to be here very long. Anyway, this is what she said about the aftermath of January 6th. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Any response to the rebel revelations that the GOP lawmakers were texting chief of staff Meadows, along with prominent FOX News host ahead of the -- during the January 6 riots?
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETAR: Well, it's disappointing and unfortunately not surprising, that some of the very same individuals who are willing to warn, condemn and express horror over what happened on January 6th in private were totally -- in private -- were totally silent in public, or even worse, we're spreading lies and conspiracy theories and continue to since that time. So disappointing, not surprising, unfortunately, we've seen a trend from some of the same individuals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And I accept your apology, Jen Psaki, I'm sure it's forthcoming. We've condemned January 6th. We did it that day, as it was happening. We did it that night on this show.
Just like we condemned the 574 left wing riots in the summer of 2020 that your boss barely talked about, never mentioned even in the DNC convention. And by the way, your vice president helped fund a bail fund to get some people involved in the activities out of -- out of prison. You know, instances of torching a city, all the financial damage, dozens of dead people, thousands of injured cops, billions in property damage.
Here with reaction, FOX News contributors Mike Huckabee, Joe Concha.
Mike, we'll start with you, Governor. You know, it's predictable to me. It doesn't bother me at all. I barely pay attention to them. I think they actually have to run FOX personalities and talk about FOX personalities because their ratings are so bad, there's nothing they can do that otherwise that'll get the many viewers anyway.
MIKE HUCKABEE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: I think the funniest thing was watching the guy from CNN and he was trying to talk about the FOX News personalities and lying and dishonesty, and I'm thinking, the people that are on CNN make Jussie Smollett look like Abraham Lincoln in honesty and for them to even possibly act like that there was some something nefarious going on.
It was simply a matter of people saying, look, this is getting out of hand. It's going to hurt the president's legacy and his reputation, all of that was true. I don't know what the big deal is about. I seriously don't. It sounded like people who cared deeply about the president and about the country and about what was going on and as you have said repeatedly tonight.
Sean, every conservative I know has been very clear in condemning what those chuckleheads did when they broke in, put their feet up on somebody's desk and broke windows. But what I don't hear is an equal outrage and concern that the only person who was really hurt that day was Ashli Babbitt, Trump supporter, Air Force veteran, shot down, unarmed, to my knowledge not one firearm was found among the protesters.
So this idea that they went into committed insurrection, that's the lousiest insurrection in the history of mankind. They didn't even take weapons and they were going to try to take down a country that has nuclear arms.
The whole thing is just a political game that the Democrats are playing.
HANNITY: And with a predetermined outcome.
Joe Concha, you cover the media. This is even a new low for them if they really wanted to know what I was saying privately, okay, they want to violate my privacy. That doesn't shock me. They didn't speak up the last time when 1,200 text messages of mine were released. I don't expect their help. I don't care.
But they had an opportunity here, they could have gone back and actually watched my show from January 6th. They would have heard what I said. They could have tuned into my radio show and not taken out of context what I said, because I've been consistent the entire time.
JOE CONCHA, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Sean, the White House press secretary and Jen Psaki, and those at her former network, they're lying again, which means it's a day ending in Y.
For her to say and for those on CNN to say that you and others on this network cited in those texts didn't condemn January 6th on the air and publicly right after, it's simply a lie because there are these things called transcripts and archive video that proves otherwise. You just played the video of your comments to millions after the Capitol riot occurred, both on radio and on television. Those match up with what you wrote Mark Meadows on text.
Again, that's all documented. And my sentiment on this network at the time was the same. This was a horrible day for this country, the president needs to concede right away, anyone involved in injuring or attacking law enforcement on that day should have the book thrown at them and then some. No ambiguity, no excuses.
That's what I said then. That's what you said in terms of this riot being a bad day for this country and this is not a good thing.
To that end, it is patently ridiculous that this was a lead story today a top story on CNN and other networks for hours, starting with its morning news program by the way, because think about it, what story was pushed aside at the top of many news programs many news rundowns -- tornadoes that devastated Kentucky and four other states killing at least, what, 88 people, including several children. CNN put that on the back burner didn't lead with it in several hours of their newscast if you want to call that with that tragedy as it's still unfolding, the dead still being buried.
Ari Fleischer said it best today and I'll leave it here, quote: The real reason the left and the media are up in arms over some FOX hosts calling on Trump to stop the riot because the left wants to paint the right as pro- riot. The text proved the left wrong and they can't stand it, unquote. We'll leave it there, Sean.
HANNITY: Well-said.
All right. Joe Concha, Mike Huckabee, thank you both as always.
When we come back, liberal leaders continue to push their draconian COVID agenda and it's getting worse, and service members now are being discharged from the military because of the vaccine mandate. But Jen Psaki says, ah, it's no big deal. Excuse me? Dr. Oz will weigh in on that, and the fact that "The Philly Inquirer" will no longer call him doctor, unbelievable, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. Now, failed big blue states, they cannot let go of their pandemic power grab, draconian shutdowns. California, New York now reimposing their own unique indoor mask mandates, despite little science or data to back it up. But get this -- just a day after the mandate went into effect, the new New York Governor Kathy Hochul appeared to walk it back saying, well, the state's not going to be enforcing the order and that it's up to individual counties.
But ask yourself, what's driving Democratic efforts to keep the pandemic going and to stand in the way of a full recovery and a return to normal. We have vaccines. We have boosters. We have monoclonal antibodies that Democrats and Joe Biden never want to talk about. Biden mentioned monoclonal antibodies one time, that's it.
And Democrats -- well, they can't let go of their failed far left lockdown fantasies and tonight, we're learning more about the 27 U.S. Air Force service members who were administratively discharged for refusing the vaccine.
Here's what circle back Jen Psaki had to say. It kind of fits in with her comment, oh, the tragedy of the treadmill. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: On the vaccine, does the president have any comment on the first group of service members who've been discharged from refusing to get the COVID vaccine?
PSAKI: So I know -- I'd of course refer you overall to the Department of Defense. My understanding is that 99 percent of the Air Force is in compliance. As the secretary of defense said, the requirement will help ensure readiness which is what the American people expect from their armed forces and we're certainly encouraged by the high level of compliance from the department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Here with reaction, Pennsylvania Senate candidate now, Dr. Oz.
We've gone over all of your positions on issues. One thing we really haven't talked about since the early days of the pandemic when you would come on the show is where we are with COVID. Now, we have the omicron variant, we're reading a lot about it, learning a lot about it.
But vaccines, boosters, there's still breakthrough cases. How come there's so little talk about monoclonal antibodies. Anecdotally, vaccinated people, unvaccinated people, pre-existing conditions, comorbidities, compromised immune systems, I know a ton.
Everyone that got the monoclonal antibody infusion or shot early, all of them did fine, without exception. Am I wrong on that?
DR. MEHMET OZ (R), CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE IN PA: I've had the same superb experience, and I think it speaks to the fact that we have completely missed the ball here. You and I have been talking about the fact that vaccines are great, but you want to have therapeutics, actual treatments when people get sick. That way if you have breakthrough cases, if the virus mutates, we're not always going to be held hostage to the efficacy of the vaccine.
And let's go past the monoclonal antibodies. Pfizer has a pill that was today reduced the new data, 99 percent reduction of death and hospitalization, 90 percent. Merck had one last week that the FDA panel reviewed to 90 percent reduction. Guess what? The Merck pill existed before that pandemic started.
That's right. We had a pill. It's been in existence since before the pandemic started that we never used. What took so long?
And I'll tell you what's going on, you mix politics and medicine, right? We've talked about this. You get politics. That's why I'm running for the Senate.
But we cannot pervert the process of science. Too many of these decisions are made seemingly arbitrarily with a lot of arrogance and not a lot of understanding of what really would drive success. Any doctor knows, get me the vaccine to prevent problems but they're going to be cases I've got to treat, give me the tools, give me the pills, give me the substance.
HANNITY: You know, I think the issue -- the debate over vax, don't vax is over. I think everybody's made up their mind. If people are willing to give up their salary, their benefits and their pensions, they've kind of made up their mind.
But now if -- whether you have a breakthrough case which is happening, almost everybody I know now that's getting it was fully vaccinated, or if they're not -- but everybody that gets the infusion is better within 48, no later than 72 hours, they feel like they beat this thing. Why haven't -- why hasn't that been discussed more?
And you're talking about this Merck pill. Okay, is that as effective as Regeneron and Eli Lilly and monoclonal antibodies?
OZ: Well, the monoclonal antibodies are especially valuable for high-risk people and I'm a in 100 percent agreement with you that we're not talking about it and it seems strange because we should all be rooting for solutions. But what we have found is that people either root for vaccines or against vaccines. In reality, we should be rooting for vaccines and solutions like the Regeneron and antibody cocktails, as well as the pills that we're now discovering.
I never understood from the very get go why we weren't on the same page on this. We want both to exist and I think it's these kinds of messages that are frustrating to me, Sean, because I talk about them. And these are examples how we can unleash the power of innovation.
I've been traveling around the state of Pennsylvania campaigning, I feel so optimistic because people have great ideas, but we find political issues suffocating these ideas, holding us back. And we find people rooting for solutions or against solutions based on political ideas. That's harmful.
HANNITY: You know, by the way, I've been watching with some amusement. And by the way, why you would ever leave this great highly successful show to run for office that's your choice. I admire the fact that you want to serve.
But -- I mean the idea that they're not going to call any of the candidates doctor, you earned that title. You went to, what, four years of medical school, internship, residency, what, 4,000, 5,000 heart operations. I forget the exact number.
I think you deserve to be called doctor as does every medical doctor.
OZ: Well, I was frustrated. "The Philadelphia Inquirer" clearly is in a panic. They don't like the fact we've got momentum. But Facebook is actually censoring my ads. I've got 20 times more followers than "The Inquirer," they're not letting me put my ads up anymore. Yet they run fake ads.
So go to doctoroz.com to fight back against big tech. Do not let them censor or silence us. They're in a in a tizzy over what's going on. They're being duplicitous. They're being scoundrels.
HANNITY: This seat is pivotal for the Republicans if they want to take back control of the Senate in the midterms. Dr. Oz, thank you.
When we come back, Kamala Harris continues to face mounting criticism. Her latest blunder -- I mean, it is worse. It's almost as bad as Joe.
Leo Terrell 2.0 will join us and Jason Chaffetz, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: And more signs of turmoil for the struggling vice president tonight, because even the media mob is being forced to acknowledge that whatever appeal Harris once had -- well, it's cratering by the second.
For example, a new piece in "Politico" calls her, quote, a one-time political rock star who is having a brutal season at the polls and, of course, the baffling moments are showing no signs of slowing down. Watch Vice President Harris struggled to charge an electric vehicle. You can't make this up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All of us are used to filling our tank. We -- you usually can smell it and you can hear it, you can hear the guzzling sound. None of that.
But how would I know that? Tell me how I would know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So typically, excuse me --
HARRIS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So typically, you come in here with this car --
HARRIS: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then what it would do is it would authenticate and then the light becomes green.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Great job. Here with reaction, FOX News contributors Leo 2.0 Terrell and Jason Chaffetz.
Jason, you're laughing harder you go first.
JASON CHAFFETZ, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: And this is the person who's supposedly in charge of the National Space Council. Her job is to advise the president on how we're going to operate in space. She can't even put a plug into a car.
I mean, what, she is such a joke. It's just an embarrassment. She should have hired those child actors to show her how to put a plug into an outlet.
HANNITY: The child actors would have been better that was part of the PR image makeover.
Nobody wants to work for her. They say it's a hostile work environment. Leo, your reaction?
LEO TERRELL, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Oh, look, everybody knows the fact she was selected for vice president for two reasons, gender and skin color. She has no expertise. She's not an expert on foreign policy. She's not expert on criminal justice.
She was picked for the wrong reason and look, she runs away from a tough issue, immigration, the border issue. She can't even -- she doesn't even know what to do with electric car. Does she hold the pump forever and ever? She is clueless.
And I have to be very clear, I've said this before, her political career is over in 2024 because she's unlikable.
HANNITY: Well, you know, look, she's losing all of her staff. She's hired PR people, fired communications people. Nobody wants to work with her. They're using the term a soul-crushing bully. I mean, is that our vice president? Does she get to take over something happens for Joe? And Joe ain't looking too good these days, Jason.
CHAFFETZ: Well, she did redecorate her office. And that was a vital part - -
HANNITY: Blue.
CHAFFETZ: -- of what she did. Yeah, she redid that.
And so, look, going into the -- to the nomination, she was in eighth place in her home state of California. Even the California Democrats figured out that she wasn't worthy of this position.
HANNITY: Leo, we're going to give you the last word tonight. Soul crushing, ouch.
TERRELL: Yeah. It -- look, it's a nightmare. It's a nightmare when we have to wake up thinking either Biden or Kamala Harris, two of the worst of all time in two of the most powerful positions. It's a horrible choice between the two of them.
HANNITY: Does -- do you think Joe Biden, did you make anything -- real quick, Jason Chaffetz, or the fact that they he kind of moved away from her? They didn't seem to acknowledge each other at Bob Dole's funeral.
CHAFFETZ: Yeah. I mean, clearly, the president was supposed to sit next to Kamala Harris, then he whispered over to Jill Biden and said, hey, we need to switch seats. He didn't shake her hand, didn't acknowledge her, and certainly didn't want to sit by her.
HANNITY: Yeah, unbelievable.
TERRELL: No, he was forced to make her choice -- he was forced to make her choice as vice president.
HANNITY: Why was he forced? Right, quick, why was he forced?
TERRELL: Oh, come on, because of all the -- all the all the identity politics. He was forced to pick a female minority. He didn't want her.
HANNITY: Oh. All right. Thank you both.
More HANNITY right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have left this evening. You make the show possible. Thank you so much for joining us.
We hope you set your DVR so you never miss an episode.
In the meantime, let not your heart be troubled. Laura Ingraham is start standing by. I'm going to you early because I want you to know something, I have the record. I have over 1,200 text messages, private ones, released publicly. I have more than you. I just -- I'm in the lead right now, but you are catching up.
Copy: Content and Programming Copyright 2021 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2021 VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox