A newspaper columnist has stormed off a live broadcast and rage quit after an angry exchange with two colleagues.
Washington Post contributing columnist Hugh Hewitt was discussing the election on a Post Live segment on Friday morning with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus.
Capehart, the show’s host, brought up a judge’s ruling to extend a postal ballot deadline in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes in.
Donald Trump’s campaign sued the county after voters waiting in line to apply in-person for a mail-in ballot were turned away at 5pm on Tuesday.
Washington Post contributing columnist Hugh Hewitt was discussing the election on a Post Live segment on Friday morning with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus
‘Is it me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for contesting the election,’ Capehart asked Marcus.
‘By claiming that cheating was taking place, but suing Bucks County for alleged irregularities.’
Marcus agreed that the former president had been ‘laying the ground work’ to contest the election result, if he lost, for months.
‘Jonathan, I’ve gotta speak up,’ Hewitt interjected, but was told to let Marcus finish talking first.
When it was his turn, Hewitt said he disagreed with framing the Bucks County ruling as an example of Trump trying to contest the election result.
‘Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home,’ he said.
‘We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story.
‘So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.’
Hewitt, infuriated, ripped his headset off, declaring ‘I won’t come back, Jonathan, I’m done’
Election officials were supposed to let everyone who joined the line before 5pm submit their application, even if they were still waiting at the cutoff.
Capehart attacked Hewitt out of nowhere, instead of arguing with his point or clarifying the issue.
‘I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, many times you come here saying lots of things that aren’t based in fact,’ he said.
Hewitt, infuriated by the accusation, ripped his headset off, declaring ‘I won’t come back, Jonathan, I’m done’.
He disappeared from the split screen, leaving an empty chair, but continued to rage at the situation.
‘I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of. You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done,’ he was heard saying off screen.
The New York Post reported Hewitt not only left the show, but resigned from the newspaper entirely.
Hewitt also hosts a three-hour syndicated breakfast radio show.
He is a staunch conservative with a Twitter account that shares and re-tweets non-stop Trump-friendly talking points.
Hewitt with Kimberly Atkins as guests on Meet the Press in 2020
Judge Jeffrey Trauger ruled in a one-page order on Wednesday that Bucks County voters who wanted to apply for an early mail ballot now had until the end of Friday.
Huge lines meant voters waited about three hours to get inside the polling office and submit their applications.
Bucks County, like other counties in Pennsylvania, allows voters to apply for a mail-in ballot in person at the elections office and receive it there.
Applying is a time-consuming process strained to the limit by Trump’s exhortations to his supporters to get out and vote before Tuesday’s deadline.
Voters can also fill it out and hand it in at the office.
Neighboring Lehigh County applied to have the window extended to the end of Wednesday due to not having enough resources, which was granted.