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Hugh Hewitt leaves the Washington Post after storming the show


Hugh Hewitt leaves the Washington Post after storming the show

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt resigned from The Washington Post after storming out of a livestream discussion on Friday over a dispute with two of the paper's liberal columnists that he called “the most unfair campaign advertising I've ever been a part of.”

Hewitt, a columnist for the embattled Jeff Bezos newspaper, appeared in a discussion with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus in the run-up to Tuesday's election, as the conversation turned to a Trump campaign lawsuit in Pennsylvania, where a judge agreed to a request to expand the in-person voting in Bucks County.

Hugh Hewitt (top right) participated in a Washington Post discussion about the election with Jonathan Capehart (left) and Ruth Marcus (bottom right). X/@BrentHBaker
Hewitt stormed off after a dispute over a Trump campaign lawsuit in Pennsylvania. X/@BrentHBaker
Hewitt is not visible in the image above after ripping out his headset and exiting the broadcast. X/@BrentHBaker

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee successfully requested an extension of the deadline after several people online to vote by mail were turned away after Tuesday's 5 p.m. deadline.

“Is it me or does it look like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for participation in the election,” Capehart asked Marcus.

“By claiming fraud occurred but suing Bucks County (Pennsylvania) for alleged irregularities.”

Marcus responded that Trump had been “laying the groundwork” for months to run in the election.

Hewitt accused Capehart and Marcus of not telling “the whole story” about the lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania. X/@BrentHBaker

Hewitt then tried to speak up, saying, “Jonathan, I need to speak up.”

“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” Capehart shot back.

After Marcus finished, Hewitt said, “Well, I just have to say, we're news people, even if it's the opinion section.”

“It needs to be reported,” Hewitt continued.

“Bucks County was overturned by the court and ordered to grant additional days because they broke the law and told people to go home.”

Hewitt also mentioned the recent Supreme Court ruling supporting Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's move to purge 1,600 people from the voter rolls.

Marcus said that Trump “laid the groundwork for participation in the election.” X/@BrentHBaker

“We are news people, even if we have an opinion, and we must report the whole story when we address one part of the story. Yes, he's upset with Bucks County, but he was right and won in court. That’s the story,” Hewitt said.

After a brief pause, Capehart said to Hewitt, “I don't appreciate lecturing about reporting, Hugh, when you come here and say a lot of things that aren't based on facts.”

The accusation made Hewitt angry.

“I’m not coming back, Jonathan, I’m done,” he said, ripping out his earpiece and standing up.

“I'm done. This is the most unfair canvassing I've ever been a part of,” Hewitt continued, his face no longer visible on the screen.

“You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done.”

Two sources familiar with the matter told the Post that Hewitt quit his job as a columnist at The Washington Post shortly after storming off the set.

Capehart said he didn't appreciate being lectured about reporting by Hewitt, who “came here and said a lot of things that aren't based on facts.” X/@BrentHBaker

Conservative media figures praised the veteran radio host and pundits for standing up to Capehart's bullying.

“BRAVO @hughhewitt! Factual, sober, courageous and appropriate enough for these left-wing writers to pretend to be journalists,” beamed Megyn Kelly, a conservative radio host.

The heated exchange came amid uproar at The Washington Post over Bezos' decision not to allow the editorial board to print an endorsement for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Bezos warned in an Oct. 28 editorial that the paper's staff was “increasingly” willing to “speak only to a certain elite” rather than the broader American public.

“We are talking to ourselves more and more,” Bezos wrote. “It wasn’t always this way – in the 1990s we reached 80 percent household penetration in the D.C. metro area.”

Anger over Bezos' decision led to resignations at the newspaper. 250,000 readers reportedly canceled their subscriptions in protest.

The New York Post has reached out to The Washington Post for comment.

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