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Former President Trump's impeachment trial was well underway in the Senate on Wednesday, February 10 when Fox News cut away to discuss other pressing issues, including the NBA's National Anthem "controversy."
This caused a pretty uncomfortable moment on Fox's talk show The Five, where co-host Juan Williams accused the show and his fellow commentators of "ignoring" the news.
You can watch the exchange here:
As the broadcast was ending, Williams implored his colleagues:
"I want you guys to come back, come and join the conversation, pay attention to the news! Clearly, what's going on on Capitol Hill today is an attempt to hold democracy and the Constitution up. To celebrate that as the basis that we are a country of laws."
The FIVE Is lit right now.— Tara Palmeri (@Tara Palmeri)1612995187.0
@HuffPost https://t.co/HyNKqidXpG— Scooby (@Scooby)1613007601.0
Fox is showing The Five and not this arresting video from the impeachment trial? Makes sense. https://t.co/uFroPQaTKS— Tim Miller (@Tim Miller)1612995345.0
Williams was correct in identifying Fox as one of the only major news networks to cut away from the impeachment proceedings as House managers unveiled previously unseen videos of the insurrections.
He said:
"This impeachment trial that you guys are all ignoring, I guess you are afraid of it because it's a reminder."
@Timodc Juan Williams tried to talk about it, but Greg Gutfeld screamed at him.— moviegeek (@moviegeek)1613001963.0
@HuffPost Keeping people ignorant isn't the best.— SolomoN (@SolomoN)1613007652.0
@HuffPost Juan was so right— thenaughtychristian (@thenaughtychristian)1613010371.0
Co-host Greg Gutfeld accused Williams of "mind-reading" and the two started a shouting match that ran the rest of the segment.
Williams went on to comment:
"It seems to me that what you heard today is how Trump was attacking not only Democrats but Republicans, and now he's forcing Republicans to make a choice. You can stand with the mob that stormed Capitol Hill and said 'bleep the cops.' You can join the QAnon conspiracy. You can join the Proud Boys violent extremists."
@hrh73112 @TVNewsHQ Juan Williams is the only one being honest and telling the truth.— Billy (@Billy)1613030175.0
@TVNewsHQ It’s fun watching Fox News and the Republican Party disintegrate.— Queen of a Small Nation ✡️ 🇺🇸 🇰🇷☮️ (@Queen of a Small Nation ✡️ 🇺🇸 🇰🇷☮️)1613015736.0
@TVNewsHQ It’s really hard to be introspective and admit you remain part of the problem, especially when your livel… https://t.co/3DdNEPABlp— STOP STRESS EATING CONSPIRACIES! (@STOP STRESS EATING CONSPIRACIES!)1613008566.0
As each of his co-hosts insisted he was incorrect, Williams continued to shout his points.
"Or you can stand with Liz Cheney, you can stand with Mitch McConnell, you can stand with people who believe the Republican Party should stand for conservative principle."
"This trial to me is about whether Republicans want to close their eyes or face the truth."
@TVNewsHQ Juan Williams was great. Wish there were more like him on Fox. He speaks truth to power. Hard to do that… https://t.co/S9RhThxtm3— juliewill21@gmail.co (@juliewill21@gmail.co)1613049288.0
@TVNewsHQ ”That was not cool” means “Don’t expose us for what we are”— Winchester 🥄 (@Winchester 🥄)1613027995.0
@TVNewsHQ My goodness post-Trump Fox News is a hot mess.— Mike (@Mike)1612996683.0
Twitter, which is often heavily critical of Fox News, was glad to see its personalities in such disarray.
@HuffPost https://t.co/3KskZcFdFR— Frank Rodriguez⭐ (@Frank Rodriguez⭐)1613008824.0
@HuffPost #FactsMatter #Accountability #ConvictAndDisqualify https://t.co/PKcJXkPTTl— DavidC (@DavidC)1613015518.0
As Williams pointed out, Trump's second impeachment trial is, for many, also a referendum on the Republican party's tolerance for extremists and racism.
Fox News seems eager to avoid examing that subject too closely. Perhaps the GOP are not the only ones being forced to look in that mirror.