Adam Kinzinger: Tucker Carlson lies to his audience “because he wants people’s money”
Kinzinger: “It's basically been admitted in these court documents with the Dominion suit but he doesn't care because he wants people's money”
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From the March 7, 2023, edition of CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper
JAKE TAPPER (HOST): Last night when airing the security footage, Tucker Carslon called you a liar. He said you and Liz Cheney lied about what happened during the January 6 Capitol attack and "you should never be taken seriously again." I wanted to give you an opportunity to respond to that.
ADAM KINZINGER (GUEST): I mean, look. Tucker knows better. He's actually a smart guy. He is taking the people he's talking to. He's lying to them. I mean, there's no doubt. It's basically been admitted in these court documents with the Dominion suit but he doesn't care because he wants people's money. He is an unserious man who is doing serious damage with the cooperation of Kevin McCarthy who wants to have Tucker Carlson on his speed dial because he likes to impress people in the room with who's on his speed dial. This is dangerous and, you know, Michael Fanone will tell you about how all dangerous that was because it was -- it was a really bad day that is being whitewashed. But the kids of the people that believe that somehow that wasn't an insurrection, they're going to know better and the parents will never admit they ever believed it in the first police.
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TAPPER: Congressman, I want to break down some statistics -- 999 people are facing federal or local charges related to the January 6 attack, 326 of them have been charged with assault or resisting or impeding officers or employees, 140 officers were assaulted at the Capitol that day, 518 people have been charged and pleaded guilty. How can Fox really try to paint this as largely peaceful filled with sight seers? Obviously, not every single person in the building, I don't even know numerically what the percentage would be, but obviously, no one's saying everyone was violent but the numbers speak for themselves.
KINZINGER: Here's how Fox does it because -- and particularly Tucker -- because they realize no matter what they say, their audience is vested in that tribal narrative. That audience is invested in the fact because they've been programmed by Tucker Carlson for many years. They've been invested in the fact that you have to pick your side and stick with it. No matter the cost is, suspend your beliefs, suspend your disbelief, just -- you know -- trust us. We're going to tell you, we're going to give you the talking points and the arguments. Fox knows that's not true. Tucker knows that's not true. And you can see it all throughout the Dominion lawsuit. But has Fox News talked about the Dominion lawsuit? I'm going to guess probably not. Has Fox News told their own audience that they were lying to them? Probably not. They just keep them hooked, give them a bigger dopamine rush, give them more of that hit, and that's how it goes.