Media fawns over Schiff during impeachment arguments

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Media fawns over Schiff during impeachment arguments

Fox News contributor Dan Bongino and Fox Nation Lara Logan weigh in on Adam Schiff's credibility and media coverage of the trial.

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," January 24, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Welcome to HANNITY. We begin with a Fox News alert. A lot happening tonight, and moments ago, the Senate finally adjourned for the night. The Schumer-Schiff sham show part of it, oh, thankfully, is over, their repetitive nonsense -- more coming up. Also, tonight, we start with -- we are at the end of a huge week of massive accomplishments for the Trump administration. I doubt the mob and the media will talk about it. But a successful trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos. Remember, last week, it was the big China deal. It's going to help farmers, manufacturers. It's going to help our energy sector, service sector, oh, and our car industry, $220 billion in two years. The president then returned home to Washington in the swamp. He delivered a rousing speech at the March for Life rally. In doing so, he made history, the first president to speak of the largest pro-life rally in the country. Now, this is part of what we are calling the tale of two Americas, because while the president is advancing prosperity, every economic record, peace and security, end of the caliphate, Baghdadi, and, of course, Soleimani, for all Americans, across town on Capitol, what we've been witnessing? Really three long years, but a pathetic, delusional, psychotic, never- ending charade. And I regret to inform you that the Schumer-Schiff sham show, yes, we still have 24 hours, 16 hours, and then hopefully it ends, because you, the American people, I know you're busy. You work 12, 13, 14 hours a day. You're taking care of your kids. You pay your taxes, you obey the laws. You probably have more important things that you're doing every day than watch the -- well, compromised, corrupt, coward, congenital liar, Adam Schiff, spewing. It is insufferable. Nonstop venom, 24 hours. Let me fill you in on what you might have missed today. Thankfully, their ratings now bear this out. Hardly any Americans are watching. By the way, we want to thank you. And this is sincere from our heart. Thank you for making us number one again last night on cable news. Now, here's what's interesting. Network television, ABC, NBC, CBS, broadcast channels, they've barely got a million viewers. Less than 300,000 in the core demo. It's a disaster -- an unmitigated, unprecedented ratings disaster. And I'm not surprised, because over the past 24 hours, we've learned nothing new. Not one single thing. This has been mindless political theater, that's it. In fact, the Schumer-Schiff sham show, they're just still obsessing over the exact, same, thoroughly debunked -- believe it or not, not Ukraine, oh, they're advancing still the Russia conspiracy theories. Literally, Schiff is like drooling like three years ago. He looks like he's having, frankly to me -- not a professional -- like a mental, emotional breakdown at this point. Forget Ukraine, forget quid pro quo Joe, zero experience Hunter paid millions and investigations, the congenital liar, it's still all about, for three days now, not Ukraine -- Russia, Russia, Russia. Four investigations -- Russia. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Then-candidate Trump urged the Russians to hack Hillary Clinton's emails. Russians. The Russian, contact with the Russian. The Russians will do this again. The Russians. The Russians. The Russians, Russians. The Russian interference in our election. Russia. Russia. The Russia issue. Vladimir Putin. Russia. Russians. Russians. Russia. For several reasons, I tend to view a lot of what's happening through a Russia prism. Russia. Russia. Russians. Russians. Putin's Russia. Russians. Russia, Russians. Russian government effort to help Mr. Trump. Russia. The Russians. Russians. Russians. Russians. Russia. Russians. Russians. Russians. Russians. Vladimir Putin. Russian. Russian. Russia. Systematic interference of the Russians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: The great irony as we showed you last night is the only guy caught on tape thinking he's talking to a Russian was him -- getting compromising materials, what are they? Oh, naked pictures of Trump. What? What? Do you have them? Has Vladimir seen them? Yes. Colluding with the Russians to impact our elections. Compromising materials, naked Trump. Anyway, he is a raging lunatic. Day after day, month after month, this is three years. Over three years, this guy has been lying like a maniac, propagating a conspiracy theory, hoax. We had four separate investigations. We had, what, the FBI nine-month investigation, oh, no "there" there. We found nothing. Then, of course, we had the House Intel investigation. No evidence.

Now, we had the bipartisan Senate committee, and then the ultimate of all ultimates, the Mueller report. No, no Russia.

And yet the sham articles of impeachment, they even have nothing to do with Russia but he's still talking about Russia. The term "Russian collusion" is never mentioned in one of these articles.

And, by the way, neither is the word quid or pro or quo like Joe, or bribery, which they kept throwing out there time and time again. Not a single time.

Now, this Schumer-Schiff sham show, it's nothing to do with truth or evidence or facts. Of course, the Schumer-Schiff sham show has nothing to do with truth.

Now, it's all about their undying, never-ending, psychotic, unyielding rage and inability to accept the loss of an election. President Trump, you, we, the people, shocked the world.

And late last night, there he was again, Schiff, overcome this time now by emotion. He didn't come to terms with his own rampant dishonesty and lies and that the four investigations proved he was a liar.

He wasn't, by the way, being reflective of the damage that he's caused the country, the lies and conspiracy theories he's pushed, the smear, slander, besmirchment, the obsessive, compulsive discussion about never-ending Russia conspiracies. He wasn't even upset about his own botched impeachment proceeding in the House.

He doesn't realize, nobody likes this guy -- not even Democrats think at this point. I think they realize he took them over a cliff here.

No, the congenital liar decided to -- well, tear up like a baby about Republicans not adhering -- get this -- we get lectures from him about the truth. The country's biggest liar lecturing the rest of the country on truth and honesty. His over-the-top crocodile tears, it's almost as cringe- worthy as his unprecedented, rampant hypocrisy.

Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCHIFF: Colonel Vindman said, here, right matters. Here, right matters.

I think there's prior to plenty of evidence of collusion and conspiracy in plain sight.

If right doesn't matter, we're lost. If the truth doesn't matter, we're lost.

We have not spoken directly with the whistle-blower. We would like to.

Right is supposed to matter. It's what's made us the greatest nation on earth.

The Russians offered help, the campaign accepted help. The Russians gave help and the president made full use of that help.

Right matters, and the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost.

I share the view that there are parts of the dossier that have been corroborated and that seemed credible.

Right doesn't matter anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Oh, sorry.

Pitch-perfect example of his deranged behavior. This is like a real-life sociopath in the middle of a meltdown here.

Schiff, we know, will do or say anything, he thinks, will benefit him politically or personally. In 1999, though, big news tonight, just breaking, the congenital liar we've now discovered actually campaigned heavily against the corrosive politics of impeachment.

Back then, yes, the congenital liar believed lawmakers should be more concerned with real local issues that actually affect the American people. Wow. I have not seen this tape before. I don't think most of you have.

Let's roll the tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Movie moguls such as David Geffen and Steven Spielberg are raising money for Rogan's challenger. They've helped make California State Senator Adam Schiff one of the most prodigious fund-raisers among challengers in the 2000 election.

SMITH: People want someone who is top priority is local concerns, not national partisan ideological crusades.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Oh, he can't even open his mouth without vomiting a Russian conspiracy theory.

And, of course, his cohort, big time hypocrite himself, Jerry Nadler, just ramped two articles, sham impeachment articles through the House Judiciary Committee. Zero due process that Republicans afforded, Newt Gingrich afforded Bill Clinton. Basic fairness, adherence to past precedent -- just called a president a dictator, that's how desperate he is.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): This is a determination by President Trump that he wants to be all-powerful. He does not have to respect Congress. He does not have to respect the representatives of the people. Only his will goes.

He is a dictator. This must not stand and that is why -- another reason he must be removed from office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: OK. I'm sleepy. All right. You want to sleep by the way? Just rerun this, you'll fall asleep.

I love Mike Lindell, My Pillow. I have My Pillow, my favorite. My Pillow coupled with this guaranteed to knock you out for 24 hours.

Needless to say, Republican senators, they're not buying this charade. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are struggling to stay awake.

Look at this, some are playing tic-tac-toe. True. Some are literally walking around the chambers so they can keep their eyes open.

You've got Rachel Maddow's Area 51, the conspiracy channel, they are screaming at the Democrats -- please, I know it's horrible, boring, but just pretend. Act like you're interested. Do it for the sake of the country.

Democrats need 67 votes to convict the president -- it's not going to happen. Not even by a long shot.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst slamming Democrats for their hypocrisy. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso accusing Chuck Schumer of using impeachment as a political trick to become majority leader. That's with those phony votes on day one were, with new votes would come later.

According to an "Axios" report, quote, Democrats -- who need four GOP senator votes and not to lose any from their own party -- will struggle to get more than three. Let's hope that's true tonight.

Their last hope to extend the trial is quickly fading. I pray for the sake of the country that this is true. We have 284 days until election.

According to the report, it now seems like a straight road to Trump's acquittal by the end of next week.

Now, without extra witnesses, the president's, quote, impeachment could be over by the end of next week. They report that will be good news for we, the people, because we all know how this will end. Witnesses will be subject to court battles and claims of executive privilege and pleading the Fifth and weeks and months of legal limbo.

Ultimately, President Trump will be acquitted, regardless. Republican senators need to end this charade. They need not take on the constitutional duty of the House of Representatives. They have the sole power to impeach. They have impeached, they have made their case, they will have the president's lawyers talk, and then, we'll have 16 hours of questions.

Then let's vote on the answer here. Get back to work for the American people. But no matter how long this insufferable Schumer-Schiff sham show lasts -- I said it all week, I haven't messed it up -- this president will remain on offense, making history along the way.

But what will the Democrats run on? What have they done for the people that they are supposed to be public service to servants of? What have they done? Have they created any jobs? No.

And as I sat at the top, this is a tale of two Americas. This matters here. Are they public servants or are they just out for a power grab?

You got President Trump killing Iran's top terrorists. Democrats complained and are mad?

Soleimani slaughtered fellow Americans. He led all of the terrorism of the world's number one state sponsor of terror. You can't say "good job, President Trump, you just got rid of that guy that slaughtered our fellow Americans."

President Trump makes new trade deals around the world. Let's see, China, Japan, Mexico -- oh, that means they're paying more. I wonder if we'll use that money for the wall. And Canada and our Eastern European allies, and we're energy independent. Democrats accused him of economic warfare.

President lowers taxes for millions of middle-class Americans. Democrats even complain about that.

The economy is on fire by every single solitary measure. Democrats dream, they want to implement a $94 trillion, trillion, New Green Deal in 10 years. We've only taken $4 trillion a year, $52 trillion in Medicare for All. No free choice on what you might have as health care -- well, we can't afford that. There's no money for defense either in that case.

President, he touts the sanctity of life. What do we have, Democrats, oh, like Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, oh, first, we'll let the baby be born and then we'll make the baby comfortable and then we'll let the mother decide -- supporting infanticide or what he referred to as in labor, during labor, or post-birth abortion? That would be infanticide. Another word that comes to mind, murder.

Two hundred and eighty-four days, you're the ultimate jury. You will choose between the two Americas.

Will you choose the radical, extreme, socialist group of political hacks who have done nothing for we, the people the last three years except hate the president you elected and not accept the result of we, the people? Or will you choose peace, prosperity, more security?

The choice is clear: 284 days, you get the power to shock the world.

Joining us now, a member of the president's, well, legal team. Jordan Sekulow is with us.

Jordan, OK.

JORDAN SEKULOW, MEMBER OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LEGAL TEAM: Yes.

HANNITY: So part one is done, here is a question I was thinking about because I thought the repetition, going back and showing the hearings of witnesses that are opinion witnesses that believe the Donald Trump should be impeached because he wants to tweeted out the words "fake" and "news". That was interesting. Then going back to the Mueller report and then hit rewind and replay everything they said 400,000 times already, most of which is untrue.

I was wondering today, will the president's defense, are they going to spend 24 hours doing this?

SEKULOW: Well, you know, we're not just going to play video tapes of ourselves. So, you know, I won't be playing my interviews about Adam Schiff from two months ago. We're going to be confronting now (ph).

And so, what you saw was Adam Schiff playing Adam Schiff's videos and making Adam Schiff's -- his last comment of the night was I think very telling because he had to make up something again.

But he did it to the Republican Senate, Sean, and they don't put up with us. He said, your heads are going to be on a stake, and they literally all said, no one told us that if we oppose the president.

And who would believe that when you have Senator Rand Paul, you've got Senator Mike Lee, they question the president. They open -- they come on broadcast like this and question the president. Go to the media and openly question the president.

Unlike the other side, they have no issues with that. And I feel like that's what the Adam Schiff that they forget when they come over to the U.S. Senate and they go on the floor and they tell those 53 Republicans what they got told last night was about actually their head or that the president is a dictator, or that it's about make Ukraine great again and all of those Ukrainians we can learn so much.

The truth is, Sean, it's wonderful to have allies and it's nothing against Ukraine, but we don't want to ever be like Ukraine. I don't ever want to be dependent on other countries for my security or be debated around like this. It was -- it was absurd for our country, the idea of propping up the Russian intelligence service.

I think -- again, they're making -- they have made their case for them. We've been there. We'll make the president's case. And we're going to take the time -- it's not just about rebutting. The president also deserves for the first time an active offensive argument as well.

HANNITY: All right. Jordan Sekulow, thank you, for the full report.

SEKULOW: Thanks, Sean.

HANNITY: Will it go longer than 24, do you think, or less? Real quick, last question.

SEKULOW: More than -- I mean, we're not going to go --

HANNITY: Real quick.

SEKULOW: Two days, three days, we're going to take the time we need.

HANNITY: OK, thank you.

All right. It's meant no secret, the media mob, they've been rooting for the president's impeachment since the very moment he was elected. Still, some pretend to be nonpartisan so-called journalists. It's a lie, it's a facade.

Let's take, for example, ABC. Their top -- they say newsmen, George Stephanopoulos, he was Bill Clinton's top political hit men and Clinton sycophant for decades. And now, we are supposed to believe he's had a magical change of heart, he's totally nonpartisan. Stephanopoulos, Democratic Clinton hack, yesterday caught in the act desperately trying to dip out, well, Jordan, Jay Sekulow, his father by the way, press conference early. Get out of this, can we hear from somebody else?

Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY SEKULOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LAWYER: Our position is, you still have to meet basic fundamental constitutional obligations, and they haven't. Next?

REPORTER: What do you think you have to convince -

SEKULOW: I'm sorry?

REPORTER: How much new work (ph) you think you have ahead to try to convince that --

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS HOST: That is Jay Sekulow right there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: I just got busted.

In fairness by the way, not a good look for the nonpartisan ABC News. Listen, a lot goes on during a live program. I would give George the benefit of the doubt and I will admit, I'm going to be perfectly honest here, usually, for five different reasons, I'll go like this, no, I don't want the SOT, no, don't end this early, stretch give me a little more time. There's ways to communicate. But I don't do shut off the liberal. I don't do that a party.

George is a Clinton hack masquerading as a strictly nonpartisan journalist, he's not. Pretty despicable. But all too common.

And it's all dishonest. It's part of the reason journalism, as I declared in ‘07 and ‘08, dead and buried.

Joining us now author of "Guilt By Accusation", Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz.

You know, I -- I watched a clip, I don't watch these Sunday shows, I get a full rundown of everything. And it happened. But I did see a clip of your appearance on that guy's show.

And all he did the whole time was try to trap you. And I'm thinking, you know, you were being pretty gracious because you could've gone in and said, George, we all know you are a Clinton sycophant, stop playing along here like you're fair.

Why didn't you do that?

ALAN DERSHOWITZ, AUTHOR, "GUILT BY ACCUSATION": Well, I think George is generally fair to his guests. I mean, he's given me an opportunity always to make my point, unlike some other hosts on some other channels --

HANNITY: All right. Fair point.

DERSHOWITZ: -- who ganged up on me.

Look, I have been doing this 55 years, representing very controversial defendants. I have never experienced the kind of McCarthyism that I'm getting from left-wing lawyers and others attacking me, attacking my motives, attacking my family, attacking every aspect of my life because I had the gall to stand up for the Constitution on behalf of a president they hate.

In fifty-five years, I've never experienced this. Not during the O.J. case, not during the Helmsley case, not during the Tyson case, not during the Claus von Bulow case. But you have the nerve to stand up for the Constitution on behalf of the president, I have been attacked by every left-wing media in an effort to try and destroy my credibility before I make my presentation.

They've actually said that I'm not a constitutional lawyer. I've argued want hundreds of constitutional cases, taught criminal constitutional law for 50 years at Harvard, taught a seminar in impeachment, taught a seminar on constitutional litigation, wrote 25 law review articles about the Constitution.

If I were on the other side, they would be praising me to the heavens as a constitutional scholar, but because I've taken the wrong side from their point of view, McCarthyism.

HANNITY: How long do you believe the defense will need? I can't imagine 24 hours but maybe, I don't know, I felt there was so much boring repetition here. How much time do you think it takes?

DERSHOWITZ: I would like to see it kept shorter. I'm going to be an hour or less --

HANNITY: Wow.

DERSHOWITZ: -- lay out all the constitutional arguments, lay out all the arguments from the cases, from the earlier impeachments. I think it will be very scholarly and very persuasive. I hope I can make it somewhat interesting. But, mostly, what I want to do is be substantive and persuasive.

And I think the other members of the team will also tried to keep their comments relatively brief. I don't think we're going to see the kind of marathon that we saw on the other side, of repetition.

And remember, the other thing is there are no objections. About two-thirds of what we heard from Democrats would never be admitted in a trial. They were irrelevant. They were mostly political campaign against President Trump. There's an appropriate place for that but not in the Senate during an impeachment trial.

HANNITY: I talked to a judge friend and I'm going to have to let you go, professor, where he said, this happened in cases you're trying, and he goes, yes, usually, I will go to the jury and said, you guys get the point on the jury? Yes, move along, instead of repeating endlessly.

DERSHOWITZ: Move along, yes, yes.

HANNITY: Professor, we'll look forward to it tomorrow. Thank you.

Joining us now, Congressman Andy Biggs, he's the head of the Freedom Caucus, and our good friend, Louie Gohmert.

Good to see you both.

Louie, we'll begin with you.

Your observations and where you see this going, and do you think some weak Senate Republicans would take on the constitutional role of the House with the sole power to impeach and bringing new witnesses, even though they have a slam-dunk case supposedly?

REP. LOUIE GOHMERT (R-TX): Well, I doubt that they're going to be bringing in new witnesses because as you've talked about, Joe Biden would be a very critical witness and I've got a lot of criticism when I'd said previously, Hunter would be a sideshow. He really would. He doesn't know much but Joe knows everything -- if he hasn't forgotten it or gotten confused about what city he's in.

But he would be a critical witness more than anybody else that I can imagine. But what has really become clear, and I sat through Tues -- most all of Tuesday and most of Wednesday, and what became clear to me sitting there listening was they're not trying to convince these people. You don't call somebody guilty of treachery and cover up and things like that if you're really trying to win their vote.

So, it sounds like they are trying to win over the public using taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes and they're also trying to protect their own rear.

HANNITY: I think the public had tuned out, though.

All right.

GOHMERT: Pardon.

HANNITY: Andy, your thoughts?

GOHMERT: Yes.

REP. ANDY BIGGS (R-AZ): Yes. No, I think -- I think Louie is right.

I think you've got three hours tomorrow, you got eight hours on Monday. I think we're going to hit hard. What I've seen so far is a political campaign speech that is one speech that they keep giving over and over again.

And I think that the people of America have tuned them out and justifiably so. And I think that we've seen a lot of blatant hypocrisy. I think we've seen rules that we wouldn't (ph) consider rules of evidence, those of us who've have tried cases like Louie, myself, or Mr. Dershowitz, Professor Dershowitz.

There's no way you could present this case and I would say I'm hoping at some point for -- you know, I would normally make a motion to dismiss at some point.

HANNITY: All right. Thank you both. We appreciate you being with us. Big breaking news tonight.

When we come back, I might have a big disagreement with Lindsey Graham -- we'll see -- over the issue, apparently, he doesn't think we should call Joe or Hunter Biden. He'll tell is why when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. If you're just joining us this busy night, this Friday night, Democrats just wrapping up their opening statements. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Trump's defense team, they start their arguments tomorrow morning.

Joining us now with more, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Lindsey Graham.

All right. So, I read the comments, I actually -- I don't know if I disagree or don't disagree. I can see both sides of this.

And you said, you don't want to call Hunter and you don't want to call quid pro quo Joe and zero experience Hunter paid millions.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Right.

HANNITY: Now -- and you said it's not the proper forum, and -- but you do believe it should be investigated.

GRAHAM: Right, exactly.

So, I think the best thing for the country is to end this trial next week, turn to issues that really matter to the American people and let them pick the next president of the United States, the voters, and not the court of impeachment.

I really do believe it's important to look at the Bidens regarding the Ukraine because you can't live in a country where the Trumps get looked at and the Bidens get a pass.

And why does it matter to the American people as to what happened? The vice president of the United States was told to go to Ukraine, straighten up the place, investigate corruption, tell them to turn around and do better. How can you send out a message when your own son is working on the board of Burisma, the most corrupt gas company in the country and receives $3 million and you don't know about it?

I think that's bad government. I think it's bad foreign policy, and how could you not know that John Kerry's stepson was also on the board of Burisma?

What it tells me that the Obama administration didn't do a very good job of looking for corruption if they couldn't find that Hunter Biden was on the board of Burisma.

HANNITY: All right. So, what would then be the proper forum for that?

GRAHAM: Oversight.

So, the Mueller report is thousands of pages long, hundreds of pages long. It took two years. So, they tell us in the impeachment trial that this whole thing about the Bidens has been looked at, has been debunked, that it's phony, there's not a scintilla of evidence.

And I asked them, who did the looking?

They asked Dr. Hill, one of their witnesses, do you think Hunter Biden did anything wrong? No. Dr. Hill, did you even look?

Where's the outrage of people on the ground in Ukraine in 2014, '15 and '16 when they knew the vice president's son, Hunter Biden, was being paid by the most corrupt company in Ukraine? Why didn't some to call Washington and say this undercuts our message, it's not bad government?

So, I want an oversight of the Bidens. I'd like it to be outside of politics. But if it has to be done by the Congress, so be it.

But I am not going to live in a country where the Trump family can be investigated for years, spend millions of dollars on legal fees, and the Democratic vice president's son takes $3 million on the most corrupt gas company in the Ukraine and nobody gives a damn. We're not going to live in that country.

HANNITY: Let me ask you this, I agree with you.

OK. The Constitution -- we've gone over this whole week. Sole power of impeachment, that power lies in the House of Representatives. It's their power. The power of the Senate, sole power, is try the case.

Now, I agree with you -- now, they impeached him.

GRAHAM: Right.

HANNITY: They've now made their 24-hour case. There will be a defense. There will be 16 hours of questions.

Why is there even a question that some Republican senators would even contemplate bringing in witnesses that they never in the House with the sole power to impeach, ever bothered to bring in themselves? That would be their role. They should have done that.

GRAHAM: This witness request is politically motivated. They could have called John Bolton in the House, but they chose not to. Why? They openly said that if we had gone to court or let Trump go to court to defend the Office of the Presidency by exercising executive privilege like Nixon and Clinton, we'd run out of time to impeach him before the election.

They literally said the reason they did it in 48 days, and they said, you know, we gave Trump the same rights as Nixon and Clinton. The Nixon case went on for years. The Clinton case went on for almost five years. They literally impeach the president of the United States in 48 days from the time of authorization to passing the articles.

How much due process can anybody get in 48 days? You couldn't get a contested parking ticket in 48 days.

So, I want the Senate to end this quickly. I want the Senate to tell the House, never do this again, never start an impeachment of the president of the United States, never give -- not allow them to call witnesses, cross- examine people, basic -- all the evidence is based on hearsay and do it in 48 days. Don't ever do that again because it hurts the country.

HANNITY: So, how do you think -- what do you really believe? You are in the room and people are walking around, leaving the room, playing games, falling asleep.

GRAHAM: Yes. So, here's what I really believe -- I believe that our vote is going to say to the House, you say you've got an overwhelming case, let's judge based on what you gave us. You say there's not a scintilla of evidence that Hunter Biden and Joe Biden did anything wrong, that the only reason that Trump wanted to investigate the Bidens was for personal interest, see if that withstands scrutiny. Here's what I think -- I think people are ready to end this. We're going to vote based on the record assembled.

When they say that the Trump administration betrayed the Ukraine, I would say it's quite the opposite. They did more than Biden.

When they say that the only reason that President Trump wanted anybody to look at the Bidens is because of personal political gain, I would say good government demands that people look at the Bidens.

Here's what I think will happen. The president will be stronger when the trial is over because people think it's unfair and this is going to be a nightmare for Joe Biden on the campaign trail and eventually every other Democratic, because when you get lectured to by Bernie and Elizabeth how the government is rigged against you, they're going to have to answer the question, are you OK with the vice president's son getting $3 million from the most corrupt gas company in Ukraine and us do nothing about it? Are you willing to let that go?

And if you're willing to let that go, then that tells you a lot about how serious you are about making America different.

This president, Donald Trump, had two years of investigation, $25 million, 19 lawyers looked at every business deal he's ever done. And my Democratic colleagues are sweeping the Biden event under the rug.

What's more of corrupt? Asking for Biden to be investigated or covering up the fact that Bidens committed really bad things in the Ukraine.

HANNITY: All right. Senator, thank you. We appreciate your time tonight. It's been a busy week.

We have a big announcement coming up tonight at the end of the show, really big announcement actually.

But up next, pretty disgusting, the media mob, hate Trump media mob, they found a new liberal savior. Yes, and Adam Schiff -- you're not going to believe what these crazy people on TV are saying.

We'll check in with Lara Logan, Dan Bongino, are next.

And we are going to investigate even further the Bidens. Five Biden family members that got a very rich because of quid pro quo Joe, coming up.

(COMEMRCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. The liberal DNC state media has been unable to contain their breathlessness, their giddiness, they are fawning over the compromised, corrupt, congenital liar. They actually think Schiff was amazing.

I don't know what they were watching. Not the same we were watching.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the House managers who have been telling a story. And they've done it very effectively. Adam Schiff, I think it will go down as one of the great performances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was dazzling. It's persuasive stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think folks will be talking about Adam Schiff's presentation for a long time to come.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very powerful and forceful speech.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By most accounts, it was a virtuoso performance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like a Springsteen or Bill Joel, or Prince when he was live, like you're clapping and they come out and then they do another song that's even better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the adult in the room, and I thought he was sensational.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An impassioned, sort of cri de coeur from Congressman Adam Schiff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Billy Joel?

OK. No.

Joining us now with the reaction, the host of "Lara Logan Has No Agenda" on Foxnation.com, Lara Logan. Fox News contributor, Dan Bongino.

All right. I know you are more about news, not taking sides, Lara. Fair enough. You identify that.

I am a talk show host. I do straight news. I do investigative reporting, I do opinions, I do sports. Super Bowl is coming up, I want to talk about it.

The question is, do you think what Adam -- what they were saying about Adam Schiff is news?

LARA LOGAN, HOST OF "LARA LOGAN HAS NO AGENDA" ON FOX NATION: It's a good question, Sean. I mean, and their -- what do you just played, what we have heard from many different people's opinion. It's clearly opinion. You are describing it, in adjectives.

You know, at "60 Minutes", we also like try to stay -- minimize the use of adjectives because by their nature, right, they are infused with opinion and observation and analysis. They're not straight fact.

And so, you always tried to be careful about that, and pejorative adjective especially because our job we always regarded as giving the audience and the viewer the opportunity to make up their own mind, not making it up for them. And adjectives can push you in one direction or another.

That said, it would be one thing if you're offering your opinion, even if it is a glowing opinion, but you also took into account the other side of this. For example the context in which Adam Schiff is standing there and making the speech. For many Americans, he's lost credibility because he has lied over and over and over again.

I mean, nobody actually buys that when he told everyone that he had never met the whistleblower and had no contact with the whistleblower, that you would then later, it gets -- you know, you find out that his office meant and coordinated with the whistle-blower. No one believes that his office knew about that and didn't tell him.

Nobody believes as he said that he regretted he had been the more clear, words along those lines. So, there is a credibility here issue with Adam Schiff.

And these journalists and news organizations are not acknowledging that. They're not saying, well, he did a great performance here. But Adam Schiff, you know, does have issues with many people. And perhaps that's why they are trying so hard to convince people that this was historic. Usually methinks the lady protesteth too much, right, the perception, and this is my opinion now, right? The perception you have is that they are trying too hard because when you look at the facts, there are facts that are left out of the conversation.

HANNITY: Let me get Dan Bongino in because -- Dan is --

LOGAN: And I say they're key because you don't have to look very hard. You can step out, you know, anywhere in America you can find somebody who says, you know, Adam Schiff, I've got a problem with him because everything he said about the Russia investigation pretty much turned out not to be true. Then he said this and then he said that.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Lara, hang one second. I got to -- just to the benefit of time --

LOGAN: It's not journalism, right? Ignoring that side of it is not journalism.

HANNITY: Dan, you're like me. We're talk show hosts. What does a talk show host do? We got a lot of investigative reporting vindicated again yesterday in the FBI FISA abuse, et cetera. We do straight news some nights. We give opinion. We talk sports, culture.

So, I view what we do like a whole newspaper. They claim they are journalists, fair, balanced and objective, they're not.

DAN BONGINO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Look, Sean, the difference is you and I on the spygate scandal were right.

HANNITY: Correct.

BONGINO: That's just a fact at this point. We've been vindicated even by the Democrats own guy, Mueller.

But, you know, I wanted to just give a (INAUDIBLE) MSNBC or CNN in that montage you played, they are right. Adam Schiff is a virtuoso. He's a virtuoso B.S.-er. He is telling a story, the problem is the story is false.

Sean, there are two elements of the stories that have never changed and nothing Adam Schiff is going to tell anyone in America will change. The aid was delivered to Ukraine before the deadline. Fact.

Second, there is no victim in this alleged high crime and misdemeanor the president is being impeached for. Who is the victim? What -- the Ukrainians have said we weren't pressured and even the minister of foreign affairs was on CNN the other saying, no, they review this thing all the time. It's no big deal.

Nothing Adam Schiff says will change those two immutable facts. And he can B.S. all he wants. America is not buying it.

HANNITY: And they did nothing to get the aide and the only fact witness said, yes, I asked the president, and he said he didn't want anything, no quid, or pro or quo, like Joe. And they have to ignore the big hypocrisy of Joe.

All right, guys. Thank you both.

When we come back tonight, a "Hannity" investigative report and that relates to five Biden family members making a fortune off of quid and pro and quo and Joe.

We have a second case now of the coronavirus, which was confirmed in the U.S. We'll have a live update.

Peter Schweizer, though, exposes how did all of these Biden family members get so rich? An investigative report as we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. You've heard about the deadly coronavirus, which originated in China, has now spread around the world.

Fox News correspondent Marianne Rafferty joins us live from our West Coast newsroom tonight with the latest.

You know what's scary, Marianne, about this, OK, they closed Disney. They're closing movie theaters. There's only two cases in the U.S. I don't want to alarm anybody, but it seems like maybe they didn't tell the world the truth which concerns me.

MARIANNE RAFFERTY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, when you talk about having to shut down a city like they're doing in China right now, I mean, you're talking about a huge undertaking and it's hard to imagine that happening here in the U.S.

As you mentioned, it's the second case confirmed here. It was a woman in her 60s in Illinois who had recently traveled to China. The CDC is confirming that that woman had arrived in the U.S. January 13th, then just a few days later called a doctor to report possible symptoms.

Lab tests then confirmed the 2019 strain of the virus, that's the same one that's already infected more than 1,200 and killed 41 in China leading to the complete quarantine of Wuhan, that's the city that's home to millions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think we possibly could do in the United States. I can't imagine shutting down New York or Los Angeles. I don't think this is something that the United States public should be worried or frightened about, but they should know that we are taking this obviously very seriously as it evolved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAFFERTY: Now, health officials are saying the U.S. is using a multilevel approach to protect Americans. That includes enhanced airport screenings for those traveling from China. The only other confirmed case of the virus is in Seattle. That patient, a man in his 30s, is still currently in isolation and being treated.

And health officials also say there are 63 possible cases that are being investigated right now across 22 states.

So, pretty scary stuff -- Sean.

HANNITY: All right, Marianne. Obviously, everyone is keeping an eye on it. Thank you.

And also tonight, more revelations, Peter Schweizer's brand new book, profiles in corruption about the so-called Biden Five as he calls them, and how quid pro quo Joe used his political power in the swamp to apparently hand out sweetheart deals to his zero experience son and brothers for years.

Here to explain more, author in "Profiles in Corruption", brand new book, Peter Schweizer is with us. Incredible investigative work.

Now, I just want to give it to you. So, it's not just, oh, you're not getting the billion unless you fire a prosecutor investigating my zero experience son, Hunter, being paid millions and millions.

Why would any vice president demand the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor? Why would any company ever paid millions for a zero experience? You're telling us tonight this goes way beyond Hunter.

PETER SCHWEIZER, "PROFILES IN CORRUPTION" AUTHOR: Yes, there's a pattern here, Sean, and it really blossoms during Joe Biden's tenure as vice president of the United States.

Take his brother James, for example. We know for a fact that in November of 2010, a longtime Biden family friend named Kevin Justice who had just set up a construction company visits the Biden office in the White House. Three weeks after that meeting, James Biden, Joe Biden's brother, becomes executive vice president of this construction company.

Here's the problem, James Biden has no background in construction. In about six months, they get a contract to build 100,000 homes in Iraq financed by U.S. taxpayers. They go on to sign a series of other contracts, construction contracts that occurred.

This didn't happen before, this didn't happen after he was vice president. It happened during his tenure.

And it's the same pattern that we've seen. These deals involve sometimes taxpayer-backed loans, they involve foreign governments. What they end in is the Biden family makes money off of these deals, deals that they're not qualified to have, skills that they don't possess.

HANNITY: Let me ask you this, Peter, because he admits, well, why do you think they gave you millions and millions? I don't know. Maybe because your dad is the vice president in charge of Ukraine? Probably. No other -- nobody gets that deal.

He said he didn't get a penny from the China deals, is that -- is that -- is that false?

SCHWEIZER: Now, look, to be blunt about it, they've have lied about this repeatedly. First, they denied that Hunter Biden sat on the board of directors of this Chinese-funded investment firm. Then when we showed the website that said he was on the board of directors, they changed their tune.

Then they said he wasn't making any money off of the deal. Now, they admit, OK, he has assets but he hasn't cashed out the money yet. That's the problem. They haven't been honest about this from the beginning.

HANNITY: All right. Great work. Peter Schweizer's new book, bookstores everywhere, Hannity.com, Amazon.com.

By the way, don't forget to tune into Fox News Sunday night, the great one, Mark Levin, 8:00 p.m. His guest will be Peter Schweizer. Set your DVR.

Up next, a big announcement. This is a pretty big one to share, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. Big programming announcement for this show, very pleased, happy, proud, honored even, Super Bowl Sunday, right before the 49ers and Chiefs, this is going to be a great game, I will have an exclusive sit-down interview, one-on-one, with the president, Donald Trump. That will be Sunday, Super Bowl Sunday, right before the game. That is on the Fox broadcast channel.

And, you know what, I've been here 24 years and I get a shot at this. It will be fun. We'll make it fun. Serious questions on the table as well.

We'll never be the media mob. We'll always look for the truth. Please set your DVR, never miss an episode.

And let not your heart be troubled. Why? Laura Ingraham, "The Ingraham Angle", is next. Have a great weekend.

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