This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41972267
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Conservatives smash Keurigs in Sean Hannity interview row | Conservatives smash Keurigs in Sean Hannity interview row |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US conservatives are destroying their Keurig coffee machines after the company announced it would stop advertising on a Fox News programme. | US conservatives are destroying their Keurig coffee machines after the company announced it would stop advertising on a Fox News programme. |
| Keurig is among five firms that said they would pull ads from The Sean Hannity Show after the host was accused of going easy on an alleged abuser. | Keurig is among five firms that said they would pull ads from The Sean Hannity Show after the host was accused of going easy on an alleged abuser. |
| He interviewed Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore about claims he assaulted a 14-year-old girl. | He interviewed Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore about claims he assaulted a 14-year-old girl. |
| The Fox News host defended Mr Moore and cast doubt on the allegations. | The Fox News host defended Mr Moore and cast doubt on the allegations. |
| Mr Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court judge, has denied the claims against him. | Mr Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court judge, has denied the claims against him. |
| The conservative firebrand has threatened to sue the Washington Post, which last week published accounts from three women who alleged encounters with Mr Moore decades ago when they were teenagers and he was in this 30s. | The conservative firebrand has threatened to sue the Washington Post, which last week published accounts from three women who alleged encounters with Mr Moore decades ago when they were teenagers and he was in this 30s. |
| On Monday, Senate leader Mitch McConnell became the latest top Republican to say he believes Mr Moore's accusers, calling on him to step aside for next month's election. | On Monday, Senate leader Mitch McConnell became the latest top Republican to say he believes Mr Moore's accusers, calling on him to step aside for next month's election. |
| But Mr Hannity argued that Mr Moore "deserves the presumption of innocence". He invited him on his radio show to defend himself and his campaign. | But Mr Hannity argued that Mr Moore "deserves the presumption of innocence". He invited him on his radio show to defend himself and his campaign. |
| On his radio show on Thursday, Mr Hannity seemed to play down the women's allegations. | On his radio show on Thursday, Mr Hannity seemed to play down the women's allegations. |
| He said: "There was no sexual, there was kissing involved, and then they're saying this one encounter with a 14-year-old..." | He said: "There was no sexual, there was kissing involved, and then they're saying this one encounter with a 14-year-old..." |
| "And it was consensual," his programme producer interjected. | "And it was consensual," his programme producer interjected. |
| "And consensual, that's true," Hannity responded. "And there's, I just, I don't know how you find out the truth." | "And consensual, that's true," Hannity responded. "And there's, I just, I don't know how you find out the truth." |
| Social media users attacked Hannity, pointing out the accusers would not have been old enough to provide legal consent. | |
| As an outcry mounted over the interview, Keurig said it would pull its Fox News ad. | As an outcry mounted over the interview, Keurig said it would pull its Fox News ad. |
| On Monday, the company apologised to its staff for any "negativity" they may have experienced as a result of the Hannity dispute. | On Monday, the company apologised to its staff for any "negativity" they may have experienced as a result of the Hannity dispute. |
| Keurig chief executive Bob Gamgort said the decision to announce via Twitter that it had pulled ads was "highly unusual" and "outside of company protocols". | Keurig chief executive Bob Gamgort said the decision to announce via Twitter that it had pulled ads was "highly unusual" and "outside of company protocols". |
| In a memo obtained by the Washington Post, he continued: "This gave the appearance of 'taking sides' in an emotionally charged debate that escalated on Twitter and beyond over the weekend, which was not our intent." | In a memo obtained by the Washington Post, he continued: "This gave the appearance of 'taking sides' in an emotionally charged debate that escalated on Twitter and beyond over the weekend, which was not our intent." |
| He added: "Clearly, this is an unacceptable situation that requires an overhaul of our issues response and external communications policies and the introduction of safeguards to ensure this never happen again." | He added: "Clearly, this is an unacceptable situation that requires an overhaul of our issues response and external communications policies and the introduction of safeguards to ensure this never happen again." |
| Conservatives have been venting their displeasure by taking to social media to smash their instant coffee machines. | Conservatives have been venting their displeasure by taking to social media to smash their instant coffee machines. |
| "Liberals are offended by this video of a Keurig being thrown off of a building. Please retweet to offend a Liberal" one user posted. | "Liberals are offended by this video of a Keurig being thrown off of a building. Please retweet to offend a Liberal" one user posted. |
| The hashtag #BoycottKeurig surged on Twitter's trending list over the weekend as Hannity took to his own Twitter account to applaud his "deplorable friends". | The hashtag #BoycottKeurig surged on Twitter's trending list over the weekend as Hannity took to his own Twitter account to applaud his "deplorable friends". |
| Fans also used baseball bats, golf clubs and hammers to destroy their machines. | Fans also used baseball bats, golf clubs and hammers to destroy their machines. |
| Mr Hannity retweeted videos of the destructions, and promised to give away 500 coffee makers. | Mr Hannity retweeted videos of the destructions, and promised to give away 500 coffee makers. |
| Others made fun of conservatives for destroying their expensive appliances. | Others made fun of conservatives for destroying their expensive appliances. |
| Four other companies said they would stop running their ads on the Fox show , without explaining their decision. | Four other companies said they would stop running their ads on the Fox show , without explaining their decision. |
| They are realtor.com, a real estate website; Eloquii, a plus-size women's clothing company; 23 and Me, a DNA genetic testing company; and Nature's Bounty, a vitamin manufacturer. | They are realtor.com, a real estate website; Eloquii, a plus-size women's clothing company; 23 and Me, a DNA genetic testing company; and Nature's Bounty, a vitamin manufacturer. |
| On Hannity's Friday show, Mr Moore declined to rule out that the possibility that he had dated girls in their late teens when he was in his 30s. | On Hannity's Friday show, Mr Moore declined to rule out that the possibility that he had dated girls in their late teens when he was in his 30s. |
| "If I did, I'm not going to dispute these things," he said, "but I don't remember anything like that." | "If I did, I'm not going to dispute these things," he said, "but I don't remember anything like that." |