According to a story published on Friday, leaks involving former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson were the reason for an FBI raid on the house of a Florida Democratic senator.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the raid took place earlier this month at the home of Lynn Hurtak, a member of the Tampa City Council, and her husband, media consultant Tim Burke.
Since Fox abruptly removed Carlson from the air last month, there have been a number of leaks to left-wing media sources like Media Matters that seem to be intended to damage Carlson. Most recently, remarks he made off-air that were disparaging were leaked and published (see below).
Right-leaning critics of Fox News have slammed the channel over the leaks, which they claim were done on purpose to damage Carlson’s reputation.
The Times obtained a letter addressed to Fox News from a federal prosecutor in Tampa that highlighted an investigation into “intrusions and intercepted communications at the Fox News Network.”
Florida Politics further noted:
The hacked material relates to a Vice News story headlined “Watch the Disturbing Kanye Interview Clips that Tucker Carlson Didn’t Put on Air” and another story, “FOXLEAKS,” from left-leaning Media Matters for America, according to the letter, which also notes that neither outlet is accused of wrongdoing.
The investigation also does not relate to Fox News or its employees and instead targets “other subjects,” according to the Times report.
The letter, penned by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Trezevant, asked Fox News to preserve any information and records related to the investigation for at least 90 days, adding that Fox is “one of the potential victim-witnesses” of alleged criminal conduct, according to the Times.
Burke has reportedly worked for left-leaning media organizations like Deadspin and The Daily Beast, according to The Times.
“Federal agents seized personal and business devices belonging to Burke during the May 8 search, including a phone and several computers,” Business Insider added.
“Fox News has asked that lawyers for Dominion investigate the ‘release of confidential discovery material,’ which Dominion denied came from the company or its attorneys,” the outlet continued.
Carlson was the most popular personality on the network, so it’s unclear why Fox made the decision to break ways with him. Fox lost its former top spot in cable news ratings after being yanked off the air as people rushed to rivals like Newsmax TV, which boasts several former Fox News stars like Eric Bolling and Greta Van Susteren.
However, there has been a lot of speculation. According to Rolling Stone magazine last week, Carlson was informed by network executives that he was being fired as part of Fox News’ enormous $787.5 million defamation deal with Dominion Voting Systems.
“In the latest development to come three weeks after Carlson was removed from his role at the network on April 24, it has been reported that one of Fox Corp.’s eight board members was the one to tell the fired host that his ‘recent benching’ was the result of the secret condition in the Dominion settlement,” the outlet reported.
The report continued: “According to Variety, the conversation between Carlson and the board member took place on April 26 – two days after the network announced Carlson’s involuntary departure from the company. The board member also reportedly told Carlson that the secret condition ensuring Carlson’s canning would not be found in any of the $787.5 million defamation settlement documents because it was a verbal agreement.”
Dominion Voting Systems representatives denied that any covert agreements had been struck.
Sean Hannity will take over Carlson’s former 8 PM ET hour, according to The Drudge Report, which also broke significant news last week. The “Jesse Watters Primetime” host will switch from 7 PM ET to 9 PM ET. The “The Greg Gutfeld Show” will air at 10 PM instead of 11 PM.
However, there is no confirmation of that report.
