Murdoch’s US newspapers turn against Trump

[ad_1]

The Journal called him the president who stood still on January 6 and praised then-vice-president Mike Pence, who Mr Trump famously suggested in a tweet deserved the full wrath of the Capitol rioters.

The [House of Representatives select] committee critics are right that it lacks political balance. It is trying to make a criminal case that might be hard to prove and might tear the country apart, the Journal said in an editorial.

Still, the brute facts remain: Mr. Trump took an oath to defend the Constitution, and he had a duty as commander-in-chief to protect the Capitol from a mob attacking it in his name. He refused.

Character is revealed in a crisis, and Mr. Pence passed his January 6 trial. Mr. Trump utterly failed his, the Journal editorial concluded.

CNN noted that both newspapers have been noticeably more critical of Mr Trump than Murdochs biggest megaphone of all the Fox News Channel although close viewers have also picked up on some signs that Fox might be souring on Mr Trump.

The newspapers’ condemnation of the former president came after Thursday’s dramatic revelations that Mr. Trump sat for hours watching the January 6 attack on the US Capitol unfold on live TV, ignoring pleas by his children and other close advisers to urge his supporters to stop the violence.

The House of Representatives select committee last week used its eighth hearing since June to detail what members said was Mr Trump’s refusal to act for the 187 minutes between the end of his inflammatory speech and a rally urging supporters to march on the Capitol, and the release of a video telling them to go home.

A day later, Steven Bannon, the far-right media and political figure who advised Mr. Trump, was convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee.

A jury found Mr. Bannon, 68, guilty of two misdemeanor counts for refusing to provide testimony or documents to the House of Representatives select committee.

Each contempt of Congress count is punishable by 30 days to one year behind bars, as well as a fine of between $US100 to $US100,000 ($144 to $144,000).

Just hours after the conviction, Mr. Bannon appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show and attacked the panels legitimacy appearing to threaten some of its members.

I will tell the January 6 staff right now, preserve your documents because there is going to be a real committee and this has to be backed by Republican grassroots voters, he said.

With The Washington Post.

[ad_2]