CNN’s Brian Stelter: Sean Hannity ‘does not recognize real journalism’

CNN’s Brian Stelter slammed Sean Hannity on Sunday for “some pretty striking sins of omission,” saying the Fox News Host does not recognize “real journalism.”

The “Reliable Sources” host blasted Hannity for an interview last week with Monica Crowley.

“What Crowley called a campaign, a hit job [is] what most of us call journalism. Hannity does not recognize real journalism. Rather than asking why she plagiarized, he did the opposite,” Stelter said.

Hannity landed the first interview with Crowley after she withdrew from consideration for a White House position two months ago amid a plagiarism scandal.

{mosads}Hannity sympathized with Crowley, saying she was “viciously attacked,” and suggesting that those who question her “can go straight to hell.”

Crowley denied any wrongdoing, saying on Hannity’s show she was the victim of a “straight-up political hit job.”  

Stelter, however, fired back on Sunday, saying “there’s no doubt she plagiarized.”

“By trying to rehab his friend’s reputation on TV without honestly addressing what went wrong, he’s allowing for really low standards,” Stelter said. “He should be encouraging high standards for conservative commentators. High ethical and moral standards to win the battle of ideas, but no.”

Stelter also accused Hannity of feeding conspiracy theories.

“He’s so anti-journalism he’s been fanning this conspiracy theory that suggests Americans conducted cyberattacks and made it look like Russia’s fault,” Stelter added.

Then-President-elect Donald Trump tapped Crowley to serve as his national security spokeswoman, but she withdrew from consideration in January following reports of plagiarism in her books and her Ph.D. dissertation in 2000.

The Hill has reached out to Fox News for comment.