A newspaper columnist has left a live broadcast in anger after an angry altercation with two colleagues.
Washington Post contributing columnist Hugh Hewitt discussed the election at 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 the deadline for mail-in voting in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, by about 20 minutes.
Donald Trump’s campaign has sued the county after voters who lined up to register in person for a ballot were turned away Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Washington Post columnist Hugh Hewitt discussed the election Friday morning in a Post Live segment with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus
“Is it just me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for contesting the election,” Capehart asked Marcus.
“By claiming there was cheating, but suing Bucks County for alleged irregularities.”
Marcus agreed that the former president had been “laying the groundwork” for months to challenge the election results if he lost.
“Jonathan, I need to say something,” Hewitt interjected, but was told to let Marcus finish first.
When it was his turn, Hewitt said he disagreed with viewing the Bucks County ruling as an example of Trump trying to challenge the election results.
“Bucks County was overturned by the court and ordered to open additional days because they were breaking the law and telling people to go home,” he said.
“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story when we bring up part of the story.
“So yeah, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.’
Hewitt, furious, ripped off his headphones and declared: ‘I’m not coming back, Jonathan, I’m done’
Election officials were required to let anyone in line before 5 p.m. submit their applications, even if they were still waiting at the border.
Capehart attacked Hewitt out of the blue, rather than arguing his point or clarifying the issue.
“I don’t appreciate you being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, you often come here and say a lot of things that are not based on fact,” he said.
Hewitt, enraged by the accusation, ripped off his headphones and declared, “I’m not coming back, Jonathan, I’m done.”
He disappeared from the split screen, leaving an empty chair behind, but continued to rage about the situation.
‘I’m done. This is the most dishonest election ad I have 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 that Hewitt not only left the show, but also resigned from the newspaper entirely.
Hewitt also hosts a three-hour syndicated breakfast radio show.
He’s a staunch conservative with a Twitter account that shares and retweets Trump-friendly talking points non-stop.
Hewitt with Kimberly Atkins as guests on Meet the Press in 2020
Judge Jeffrey Trauger ruled in a one-page order Wednesday that voters in Bucks County who wanted to request early voting by mail now had until the end of Friday.
Huge lines meant voters had to wait about three hours before they could enter the polling station and submit their applications.
Bucks County, like other Pennsylvania counties, allows voters to request a mail-in ballot in person at the elections office and receive it there.
Voting is a time-consuming process stretched to breaking point by Trump’s exhortations for his supporters to vote before Tuesday’s deadline.
Voters can also fill it out and return it to the office.
Neighboring Lehigh County applied to extend the period until the end of Wednesday because they did not have sufficient resources, which was granted.