Fox News Threatens Sarah Palin Book Author Joe McGinniss

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:01 pm

Palin and Fox News try to intimidate Joe McGinniss

Fox News issued a warning and a thinly veiled threat to investigative journalist and author Joe McGinniss, who is writing a book about Sarah Palin, Alaska, and the oil industry. On Fox and Friends today, Steve Doocy said, “Mr. McGinniss, if you’re watching right now, I would be very careful wearing hats out there because in the wrong hat, in the wrong light, could appear to be antlers.”

Here is the video courtesy of Media Matters:

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Doocy said of McGinniss moving next door to Palin, “You know there are a lot of people on the political left who she absolutely drives nuts. He obviously is a guy who’s got an agenda. He’s writing a book to that effect, but Mr. McGinniss if you’re watching right now, I would be very careful wearing hats out there, but in the wrong hat, in the wrong light, could appear to be antlers. It could be perilous out there in Wasilla.”

If you are not aware of the story, yesterday, Sarah Palin took to her Facebook page and unleashed a paranoid rant about Joe McGinniss renting the house next door to her. Palin wrote, “Joe announced to Todd that he’s moved in right next door to us. He’s rented the place for the next five months or so. He moved up all the way from Massachusetts to live right next to us – while he writes a book about me. Knowing of his many other scathing pieces of “journalism” (including the bizarre anti-Palin administration oil development pieces that resulted in my Department of Natural Resources announcing that his work is the most twisted energy-related yellow journalism they’d ever encountered), we’re sure to have a doozey to look forward to with this treasure he’s penning. Wonder what kind of material he’ll gather while overlooking Piper’s bedroom, my little garden, and the family’s swimming hole?”

She continued, “Welcome, Joe! It’ll be a great summer – come borrow a cup of sugar if ever you need some sweetener. And you know what they say about “fences make for good neighbors”? Well, we’ll get started on that tall fence tomorrow, and I’ll try to keep Trig’s squeals down to a quiet giggle so we don’t disturb your peaceful summer. Enjoy!” She also accused McGinniss of spying on her. If you thought this story couldn’t get any stranger, now we have Fox News issuing not so veiled threats to McGinniss on the air.

Fox News is obviously serious about protecting their investment in their chosen 2012 Republican presidential candidate, but a threat against the life of a journalist is a new low even for them. Anyone who doubts whether or not Palin is running for president in 2012 needs to wake up now, she is running, and she is so desperate to keep damning, career ruining information about her and the oil industry out of the news, that she had her bosses at Fox turn up the heat on Joe McGinniss. If she has nothing to hide then why are she so paranoid and Fox News so threatening?

Sarah Palin has a lot to hide, and there has been a great deal of money invested in her, so the only surprising thing about the behavior of Fox News is that they issued the threat/warning so obviously on the air. Palin is trying squash McGinniss and his book, and a quick look at her sketchy past in Alaska provides lots of possible clues why. Palin and FNC can’t stop every journalist and every book. Eventually, the truth will come out. The microscope of a presidential candidacy is too intense, and the campaigns are too long for the truth to stay hidden forever. If Joe McGinniss doesn’t uncover the truth, someone else certainly will.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association