Conservative columnist Hugh Hewitt resigned from The Washington Post on Friday, shortly after exiting a stormy livestream debate.
Hewitt’s is the latest resignation to rock the Post but this time unexpectedly from the right. It shows Jeff Bezos‘ crisis isn’t easing up but instead hitting both sides of the political divide–although Hewitt did not resign in protest at the paper’s owner censoring its endorsement of Kamala Harris.
Instead, Hewitt walked off the Post‘s show “First Look,” with liberal columnists Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus, after a heated discussion on Donald Trump’s lawsuit about alleged voting irregularities in Pennsylvania.
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Capehart started by asking Marcus if Trump is “laying the groundwork for contesting the election by complaining that cheating was taking place in Pennsylvania?” He cited Trump’s lawsuit against Bucks County for alleged irregularities.
“No election can be fair in Donald Trump’s mind unless Donald Trump wins it,” Marcus said. As Hewitt tried to interject, Capehart said, “Let Ruth finish, Hugh.”
“Well, I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said. “It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful… We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story. So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.”
After a pause, Capehart said, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when Hugh, many times, you’ve come here saying lots of things that aren’t based in fact.”
Hewitt then called the livestream the “most unfair election ad” he’s ever done and left the set.
Hewitt has been at the Post since 2017. He also hosts a radio show where he recently interviewed Trump.
“As the newsroom’s live journalism platform, Washington Post Live is known for its dynamic conversations and thought-provoking perspectives on top issues of the day, such as this morning’s “First Look” program, a Post spokesperson said in a statement to the Daily Beast.
The newspaper has been under fire this week over its owner Jeff Bezos’ decision not to allow it to endorse a presidential candidate.
