During the hearing for Michael Cohen on Monday afternoon, Donald Trump's personal lawyer came clear that one of his mystery clients is Fox News host Sean Hannity. While Hannity has denied the allegations, the network was forced to report the news.
Fox News on Hannity
Once the news broke earlier this year that Michael Cohen paid adult film star Stormy Daniels "hush money" in the form of $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair she allegedly had with Donald Trump, the media was off and running with the story. While the majority of the press has been digging deeper into what took place, Fox News has predictably taken the side of the president, with Sean Hannity being his biggest defender.
Fast forward to earlier this month and the FBI raiding the office of Cohen in an attempt to find out more to the story. Hannity was quick to defend Cohen, which appeared to make more sense when he was named as the lawyer's mystery 2018 client after a judge forced the information to go public during Cohen's hearing on Monday.
Breaking News: The Fox News commentator Sean Hannity was revealed as a secret client of President Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen, who is under investigation https://t.co/qf0AaBbGID
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 16, 2018
As Sean Hannity made sure to send a statement and tweet his denial, Fox News host Shepard Smith, who has been known to publicly oppose Hannity's political views, made the on-air announcement.
"For us, the elephant in the room is that Sean Hannity is said to have been a third client of Michael Cohen," Smith said, after first breaking the story to viewers. "There is a statement in the Hollywood Reporter supposedly from Sean Hannity," Smith explained, noting that the Fox News host is denying the allegations. "A lot of people here know his number so we'll get on that," Smith concluded with a smile on his face.
The segment then shifted in another direction and only time will tell how much time the network will spend on the story.
Hannity's double down
After tweeting out his denial of the claim that he's a client of Michael Cohen, Sean Hannity then returned to Twitter to elaborate even further. "In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf," Hannity said.
In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf, I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen,
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
which dealt almost exclusively about real estate, not be made a part of this proceeding.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
"I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen, which dealt almost exclusively about real estate, not be made a part of this proceeding," Sean Hannity added.
Moving forward
As of press time, it's unknown what information was discussed between Michael Cohen and Sean Hannity, and whether or not it had anything to do with the Stormy Daniels scandal regarding Donald Trump. Hannity is scheduled to appear on Fox News during his usual 9 p.m. time slot on Monday night.
