Celebrity doctor and Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz revealed Tuesday that Fox News host Sean Hannity acted as an unofficial campaign adviser in the Pennsylvania primary race.
“I want to thank Sean Hannity,” Oz said, during an election night speech to thunderous applause, with the race still close to call. “Sean has been like a brother to me. When Sean punches something, he really punches at it. He understands exactly how to make a difference, and that’s what he’s been doing throughout this campaign.” is. “
“A lot of it is behind the scenes. Advising me in late night conversations — again, the kind of things true friends do for each other.”
He also thanked former President Donald Trump for his support.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the race between Oz and former hedge fund manager David McCormick was still at an impasse and possibly headed for recalculation under Pennsylvania law. Trump nevertheless encouraged Oz to “declare victory” anyway.
Hannity has crossed the line from TV host to Republican campaign booster over the years, putting Fox News’ policies regarding staff involvement with political campaigns under the magnifying glass.
Recently, Nation World News revealed text messages from election day 2020 that showed Hannity taking instructions from then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Meadows asked Hannity to emphasize the importance of every vote to his audience and to make strong pushes in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada.
Hannity received a slap on the wrist after appearing on stage at a Trump rally in Missouri in 2018, with Fox News saying it “does not condone any talent participating in campaign events.”
During Trump’s time in office, Hannity was known to occasionally speak to the president several times a day, dialing him regularly for late-night chats to offer advice and comment on the developments of the day. were.
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