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| Fox News Retracts Seth Rich Story That Stirred Controversy | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fox News on Tuesday retracted a story linking the murder of a Democratic National Committee staff member with the email hacks that aided President Trump’s campaign, effectively quashing a conspiracy theory that had taken hold across the right-wing news media. | Fox News on Tuesday retracted a story linking the murder of a Democratic National Committee staff member with the email hacks that aided President Trump’s campaign, effectively quashing a conspiracy theory that had taken hold across the right-wing news media. |
| It was a rare acknowledgment of error by the network. But it also underscored a schism between the network’s news-gathering operation and one of its biggest stars: the conservative commentator Sean Hannity, who has unapologetically promoted the theory and remained defiant on Tuesday. | It was a rare acknowledgment of error by the network. But it also underscored a schism between the network’s news-gathering operation and one of its biggest stars: the conservative commentator Sean Hannity, who has unapologetically promoted the theory and remained defiant on Tuesday. |
| “These are questions that I have a moral obligation to ask,” Mr. Hannity said on his radio show, shortly after Fox News announced its mistake. “All you in the liberal media — I am not Fox.com or FoxNews.com. I retracted nothing.” | “These are questions that I have a moral obligation to ask,” Mr. Hannity said on his radio show, shortly after Fox News announced its mistake. “All you in the liberal media — I am not Fox.com or FoxNews.com. I retracted nothing.” |
| The story of the murdered aide, Seth Conrad Rich, who was 27 when he was shot in the back near his Washington home in July, has been seized on by Mr. Hannity and other right-wing pundits as an alternative narrative to the cascade of damaging revelations about the Trump administration’s ties to Russian officials who meddled in the presidential election. | The story of the murdered aide, Seth Conrad Rich, who was 27 when he was shot in the back near his Washington home in July, has been seized on by Mr. Hannity and other right-wing pundits as an alternative narrative to the cascade of damaging revelations about the Trump administration’s ties to Russian officials who meddled in the presidential election. |
| On Fox News on Tuesday night, Mr. Hannity said that he had been in touch with Mr. Rich’s brother and that, “out of respect for the family’s wishes — for now — I am not discussing this matter at this time.” | On Fox News on Tuesday night, Mr. Hannity said that he had been in touch with Mr. Rich’s brother and that, “out of respect for the family’s wishes — for now — I am not discussing this matter at this time.” |
| But, he promised his viewers, “I am not going to stop doing my job.” | But, he promised his viewers, “I am not going to stop doing my job.” |
| He added, “At the proper time, we shall continue, and talk a lot more.” | He added, “At the proper time, we shall continue, and talk a lot more.” |
| Citing unnamed sources, Fox News’s website published an article last week suggesting that Mr. Rich’s death was in retaliation for his sharing D.N.C. emails with WikiLeaks — a theory that, if true, would undercut the notion of Russian political interference and, in turn, offer cover for Mr. Trump. | Citing unnamed sources, Fox News’s website published an article last week suggesting that Mr. Rich’s death was in retaliation for his sharing D.N.C. emails with WikiLeaks — a theory that, if true, would undercut the notion of Russian political interference and, in turn, offer cover for Mr. Trump. |
| No evidence to support that theory has emerged, and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department is still investigating the death of Mr. Rich. Mr. Rich’s family, believing he was murdered during a failed robbery, has called for retractions from news organizations that promoted the story; on Tuesday, Fox News agreed. | No evidence to support that theory has emerged, and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department is still investigating the death of Mr. Rich. Mr. Rich’s family, believing he was murdered during a failed robbery, has called for retractions from news organizations that promoted the story; on Tuesday, Fox News agreed. |
| “The article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting,” the network said in a statement. “The article was found not to meet those standards, and has since been removed.” | “The article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting,” the network said in a statement. “The article was found not to meet those standards, and has since been removed.” |
| The statement did not address Mr. Hannity’s coverage of Mr. Rich’s death, and Fox News representatives deferred to his comments on air Tuesday night. | The statement did not address Mr. Hannity’s coverage of Mr. Rich’s death, and Fox News representatives deferred to his comments on air Tuesday night. |
| The speculation about Mr. Rich’s death — and its implications for an embattled president — captivated audiences in the right-wing media sphere, from Mr. Hannity’s prime-time show to more obscure but influential websites like The Gateway Pundit, which rose to prominence last year in part by spreading rumors about Hillary Clinton’s health. | The speculation about Mr. Rich’s death — and its implications for an embattled president — captivated audiences in the right-wing media sphere, from Mr. Hannity’s prime-time show to more obscure but influential websites like The Gateway Pundit, which rose to prominence last year in part by spreading rumors about Hillary Clinton’s health. |
| The theory also surfaced on Fox News beyond Mr. Hannity: Newt Gingrich, a network contributor, discussed the case on “Fox and Friends” on Sunday, and Geraldo Rivera, a correspondent at large, posted on Twitter about it. | The theory also surfaced on Fox News beyond Mr. Hannity: Newt Gingrich, a network contributor, discussed the case on “Fox and Friends” on Sunday, and Geraldo Rivera, a correspondent at large, posted on Twitter about it. |
| On the radio Tuesday, Mr. Hannity mocked journalists who questioned his interest in the subject, equating the theory about Mr. Rich’s murder to the reports that Mr. Trump’s campaign operation colluded with Russian officials during the election. | On the radio Tuesday, Mr. Hannity mocked journalists who questioned his interest in the subject, equating the theory about Mr. Rich’s murder to the reports that Mr. Trump’s campaign operation colluded with Russian officials during the election. |
| “For those who accuse me of pushing a conspiracy theory, you are the biggest phony hypocrites in the entire world,” said Mr. Hannity, who speaks regularly with Mr. Trump. | “For those who accuse me of pushing a conspiracy theory, you are the biggest phony hypocrites in the entire world,” said Mr. Hannity, who speaks regularly with Mr. Trump. |
| This was the second high-profile break between Mr. Hannity and his employer in two months: In April, he warned publicly of “the total end” of Fox News if the network fired Bill Shine, a top executive and close friend of Mr. Hannity’s. Mr. Shine ultimately resigned, but Mr. Hannity stayed put, even as the television news industry speculated about his plans. | This was the second high-profile break between Mr. Hannity and his employer in two months: In April, he warned publicly of “the total end” of Fox News if the network fired Bill Shine, a top executive and close friend of Mr. Hannity’s. Mr. Shine ultimately resigned, but Mr. Hannity stayed put, even as the television news industry speculated about his plans. |
| Mr. Hannity stoked that speculation again on Tuesday, promising an announcement about “my future at Fox.” On the air, he made clear that he had no plans to leave. “I serve at the pleasure of the Fox News Channel,” he said. “I am here to do my job every night. I am under contract, as long as they seem to want me.” | Mr. Hannity stoked that speculation again on Tuesday, promising an announcement about “my future at Fox.” On the air, he made clear that he had no plans to leave. “I serve at the pleasure of the Fox News Channel,” he said. “I am here to do my job every night. I am under contract, as long as they seem to want me.” |
| Mr. Hannity is the remaining member of Fox News’s once-invincible prime-time lineup, after the departures of Megyn Kelly and Bill O’Reilly. The network’s prime-time ratings have fallen, especially as Mr. Trump’s troubles have grown. | Mr. Hannity is the remaining member of Fox News’s once-invincible prime-time lineup, after the departures of Megyn Kelly and Bill O’Reilly. The network’s prime-time ratings have fallen, especially as Mr. Trump’s troubles have grown. |
| Some Fox News employees said this week that they had been angered by Mr. Hannity’s continuing broadcasts about the Rich theory, calling it an embarrassment to the network’s journalists. | Some Fox News employees said this week that they had been angered by Mr. Hannity’s continuing broadcasts about the Rich theory, calling it an embarrassment to the network’s journalists. |
| Other employees expressed shock that the network was willing to retract the story at all. Under Roger E. Ailes, its pugnacious former chairman, who died last week, Fox News followed a mantra of “never apologize,” weathering all manner of controversies over its coverage. But since Mr. Ailes’s exit amid a sexual harassment scandal, the network has been more willing to admit error. | Other employees expressed shock that the network was willing to retract the story at all. Under Roger E. Ailes, its pugnacious former chairman, who died last week, Fox News followed a mantra of “never apologize,” weathering all manner of controversies over its coverage. But since Mr. Ailes’s exit amid a sexual harassment scandal, the network has been more willing to admit error. |
| It apologized in January after inaccurately describing a suspect as Moroccan after a mass shooting at a Canadian mosque. In March, the network briefly sidelined Andrew Napolitano, its senior legal analyst, after he made an unsupported accusation about Britain’s top spy agency. | It apologized in January after inaccurately describing a suspect as Moroccan after a mass shooting at a Canadian mosque. In March, the network briefly sidelined Andrew Napolitano, its senior legal analyst, after he made an unsupported accusation about Britain’s top spy agency. |
| Before the retraction, Mr. Hannity had promised to feature an account on his program from Kim Dotcom, an internet entrepreneur who is wanted in the United States on racketeering charges. Mr. Dotcom has said he has evidence that Mr. Rich was a WikiLeaks source, but he has not offered the evidence publicly. Fox News said he was never booked. | Before the retraction, Mr. Hannity had promised to feature an account on his program from Kim Dotcom, an internet entrepreneur who is wanted in the United States on racketeering charges. Mr. Dotcom has said he has evidence that Mr. Rich was a WikiLeaks source, but he has not offered the evidence publicly. Fox News said he was never booked. |
| On Tuesday, Aaron Rich, the brother of Seth Rich, sent a letter to Mr. Hannity’s executive producer asking that Mr. Dotcom not be allowed on the air. | On Tuesday, Aaron Rich, the brother of Seth Rich, sent a letter to Mr. Hannity’s executive producer asking that Mr. Dotcom not be allowed on the air. |
| “Nobody wants to solve Seth’s murder more than we do,” Aaron Rich wrote. “However, providing a platform to spread potentially false, damaging information will cause us additional pain, suffering and sorrow.” | “Nobody wants to solve Seth’s murder more than we do,” Aaron Rich wrote. “However, providing a platform to spread potentially false, damaging information will cause us additional pain, suffering and sorrow.” |
| A spokesman for the Rich family, Brad Bauman, said Tuesday that they were grateful for the formal retraction. He declined to say if Fox News had offered an apology. | A spokesman for the Rich family, Brad Bauman, said Tuesday that they were grateful for the formal retraction. He declined to say if Fox News had offered an apology. |