Fox News host Shep Smith went rogue yet again on Tuesday by encouraging his largely conservative audience to read the Mueller report in full. His remarks came while reporting on a resolution that would allow for House Democrats to file a lawsuit to hold former White House counsel Don McGahn and Attorney General William Barr in civil contempt for not complying with congressional subpoenas.
Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) agreed to hold off on a vote that would hold Barr in criminal contempt, so long as the committee would be granted permission to look at specific evidence from Robert Mueller’s investigation. Yet, Smith pointed out that Justice Department sources have told Fox News that it won’t be a “blank check,” and that Chairman Nadler will not receive the documents he wants.
For his part, Nadler claims that Mueller’s report contains evidence of possible obstruction of justice, and obviously Smith agrees — as he launched into a diatribe that “everyone in America” should read the report:
“Remember, in his 400-plus page report that everyone in America should read — everyone — Robert Mueller laid out 10 instances of apparent obstruction of justice, criminal obstruction of justice, potentially, by President Trump. The special counsel did not exonerate the president. Said if they could’ve they would’ve, but they couldn’t so they didn’t.”
He went on to remind viewers that Mueller said that if his team had confidence that the president did not obstruct justice, they would have said so — but that was obviously not the case. Furthermore, Smith pointed out, that charging a sitting president with a crime was never an option due to Justice Department guidelines.
It goes without saying that Fox News-loving Trump supporters were not so receptive of Smith’s truth bomb — but everyone else seemed to enjoy the irony.
https://twitter.com/Shakestweetz/status/1138790044993544192
Shep Smith encourages FOX viewers to read the Mueller report, and learns that when they scream "RINO" it also stands for "Reading Is Not Optional."
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) June 12, 2019
Shep Smith is over at Fox giving facts and the viewers are losing their minds! pic.twitter.com/PUmAyPrr1c
— Leisha _17 (@Leisha_17) June 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/Fiendishdrblack/status/1138797230561878016
Fox viewers irrate after Shep Smith encourages them to read.
— Scott_Towel (@scott_towel) June 12, 2019
Shep Smith had Jon Stewart and the First Responders on, explained what was really happening in Congress with subpoenas and contempt charges AND instructed Fox News viewers to read the Mueller Report.
Thank you, @ShepNewsTeam-you give me hope. https://t.co/fsmvobkSuL
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 12, 2019
Ah, I see Shep Smith made the mistake of telling the truth on Fox News again. pic.twitter.com/FFYoORRPzb
— W.G. Snuffy, Esq. 🇺🇸 (@iamthedriving) June 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/SOLOAMERICAN76/status/1138791874498584583
https://twitter.com/MissVikkiV/status/1138773495096258562
https://twitter.com/awkwardo/status/1138768496769347584
Fox viewers when Shep Smith drops truth bombs on them. pic.twitter.com/3MfM48HmED
— Devin Nunes' Banned Shadow (@JustSteph85) June 12, 2019
But it’s also worth reiterating, as others including Rep. Ted Lieu (D-NY) point out, that people should really just read the dang report:
Shep Smith is right. Everyone should read the Mueller Report.
If you don't have time to read the full Report, you can just read the summaries in the Report. And if you don't have time to do that, you can read the tweets of @GOP Rep @justinamash.#WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/4Vl9beNMpr
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) June 12, 2019
Everyone please read or listen to the Mueller report. I believe the only reason there is not even more widespread support for impeachment inquiry is people and members of Congress have not done so. This is our democracy folks!https://t.co/rqpw8J7PDe
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) June 12, 2019
It’ll be one heckuva nail-biter to see what happens next, as House Democrats are able to slowly peel back the layers of evidence and whether that evidence will be enough to impeach Trump.