Fox News host Jeanine Pirro is headlining another fundraiser for the Republican Party, this time in Washington state. Fox has previously claimed -- despite ample evidence to the contrary -- that its personalities aren’t allowed to participate in campaign events.
Pirro is the host of the weekend Fox News program Justice with Judge Jeanine. She’s also one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal on-air advocates, and she reportedly consults with him off-air. In March, she claimed that Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN) hijab was “indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution” (Fox later pulled her off the air for two weeks).
Pirro is the featured speaker at an October 25 fundraiser for the King County Republican Party in Bellevue, WA. General admission tickets are $150, with VIP tickets -- which include preferred seating, a meet-and-greet with Pirro, and a copy of her new book -- going for $300. The GOP group is also soliciting sponsors and auction items for the event.
Pirro’s participation in an event for a political party contrasts with the network’s purported standards. In November, after Pirro and fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity appeared at a rally with Trump, the network told the media that it “does not condone any talent participating in campaign events.”
That Fox policy has been selectively enforced. Already this year, numerous Fox Nation hosts have participated in multiple campaign activities for Republican groups, including starring in campaign videos and headlining party fundraisers.
Media Matters documented that Fox figures have taken more than $500,000 from Republican Party groups to speak at events. Fox employees have also interviewed GOP officials shortly after co-headlining events with them (Pirro interviewed California Rep. Kevin McCarthy after doing a paid appearance with him at a local GOP fundraiser). And they have financially helped Trump by keynoting speeches on his properties. Pirro herself has made more than $230,000 by doing GOP speeches.
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway was scheduled to keynote an August fundraiser for the Nashua Republican City Committee in New Hampshire. But the GOP group later announced that “due to a contract issue with FOX News, Mollie Hemingway was forced to drop out and will not be our keynote speaker this year.”
Fox News hosts Brian Kilmeade and Pete Hegseth also scheduled speeches at GOP fundraisers this year but cancelled following Media Matters reporting.
