This morning on Fox & Friends, Steve Doocy interviewed Popular Mechanics editor-in-chief Jim Meigs to discuss his book, Debunking 9-11 Myths, and fact-check what Doocy described as “wild conspiracy theories and myths” about 9-11. Immediately following the segment, Doocy teased an upcoming appearance by Fox News host Judge Andrew Napolitano, who has repeatedly promoted these same ridiculous theories about 9-11.
During the segment, Meigs and Doocy focused on five of the most persistent myths about 9-11. Among these was the idea that 7 World Trade Center was “professionally demolished,” a conspiracy that Napolitano himself has forwarded.
Last November, Napolitano made headlines when he appeared on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' radio show and told Jones that 9-11 “couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us.” (Jones is widely considered one of the leaders of the 9-11 “Truth” movement.) During that appearance, Napolitano said “it's hard for me to believe” that 7 World Trade Center “came down by itself.”
During an appearance last May on the radio program Future Quake, Napolitano also pushed conspiracies about a government cover-up surrounding 9-11. Co-host “Dr. Future” asked, “Given the history you've shared in your book of our history and our government's actions, wouldn't it be prudent for us to be suspicious of the official government story of what happened on the day of 9-11?” To which Napolitano replied, “Yes it would.”
In March of last year, when Napolitano's show was still broadcast exclusively on FoxNews.com, he hosted ardent 9-11 conspiracy theorist Jesse Ventura. During the appearance, Ventura posited -- with no challenge from Napolitano -- that “if we didn't participate in” in 9-11, “we certainly knew it was going to happen and didn't do very much to stop it.” Rather than challenge Ventura, Napolitano asked if, “someday we will look on 9-11 the way we look on the JFK assassination today, that is, where people who question the government's involvement will be mainstreamed, rather than looked upon as an extremist fringe.”
Despite the fact that Fox has spent years criticizing anyone even tangentially related to the 9-11 “Truth” movement, they have turned a blind eye to Napolitano's own endorsement of these conspiracy theories.