Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt resigned from the Washington Post after arguing Friday with two of the paper’s liberal columnists during a live show — calling it “the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of.”
Hewitt stormed off during the First Look web show with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus, who claimed former President Donald Trump was “laying the groundwork” to run in Tuesday’s election if he lost.
After being interrupted by Capehart, an MSNBC host, and then accused by him of spreading misinformation, Hewitt took off his headset and said, “I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of.”
Hewitt, who hosts a national radio talk show, subsequently left the paper, which has been rocked by owner Jeff Bezos’ decision to kill an endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris.
He has written hundreds of columns for the Washington Post since 2017.
Two sources familiar with Hewitt’s exit first revealed it to The New York Post.
“I actually left the Post, but I was just writing a column for them every six weeks or so,” Hewitt later told Fox News Digital.
The New York Post has sought comment from WashPo.
Friday’s outburst came during a conversation about a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, where a judge agreed to a request to extend in-person voting in Bucks County.
The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee successfully sought an extension after some people in line for mail-in ballots left after the 5pm cut-off on Tuesday.
“Is it me or does it look like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to run for office,” asked Capehart Marcus.
“Claiming fraud was going on, but suing Bucks County [Pennsylvania] for alleged irregularities.”
Marcus responded that Trump has been “laying the groundwork” to contest the election for months.
Hewitt then tried to get a word in, saying, “Jonathan, I have to speak.”
“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” returned Capehart.
After waiting his turn, Hewitt noted that this was news that needed to be reported.
“Bucks County was overruled by the court and ordered to open extra days because they broke the law and told people to go home,” he said.
Hewitt also cited the recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s move to purge 1,600 people from voter rolls.
“We’re news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring a piece 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 said.
After a brief pause, Capehart told Hewitt, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, you often come in here saying a lot of things that aren’t based on fact.”
The accusation infuriated Hewitt.
“I’m not going back, Jonathan, I’m done,” he said. “You guys are working, that’s good, I’m done.”
Conservative media luminaries praised the veteran radio host and pundit for standing up to Capehart’s rants.
“WELL DONE @hughhewitt! Factual, measured, brave and conveniently fed up with these left-wing hacks posing as journalists,” wrote conservative talk radio host Megyn Kelly.
The testy exchange comes amid turmoil at the Beltway newspaper that includes the resignation of three opinion editors over the paper’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in 36 years.
Bezos warned in an Oct. 28 op-ed that the paper’s staff had been “increasingly” willing to “speak only to a certain elite,” rather than the broader American public.
“More and more, we talk to ourselves,” Bezos wrote. “It wasn’t always like this—in the 1990s we reached 80 percent household penetration in the DC metro area.”
The publication reportedly had 250,000 readers cancel their digital subscriptions in protest.
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