Fox News anchor Sean Hannity apologized on Tuesday for referencing a fake news article on his radio show that claimed that Michelle ObamaMichelle ObamaSean Hannity apologizes for using fake news story to attack Obama The Weather Channel offers escape from election night coverage Obamas open private residence to Architectural Digest MORE was deleting tweets about Hillary Clinton
Hillary Rodham ClintonGeorge P. Bush says his relatives could ‘potentially’ vote for Clinton FBI kept cases connected to Clinton, Trump quiet: report Sean Hannity apologizes for using fake news story to attack Obama MORE.
“Correction. Live on radio I read a gateway pundit report that @MichelleObama had deleted mentions of HRC,” Hannity tweeted. “And a listener said BHO and … Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenSean Hannity apologizes for using fake news story to attack Obama The Trail 2016: The Trump Dump GOP: Dem Senate candidate violated state ethics rules MORE did same. Fact is they didn't. I humbly apologize. Live radio.”
Correction. Live on radio I read a gateway pundit report that @MichelleObama had deleted mentions of HRC. And a listener said BHO and...
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 1, 2016
Elizabeth Warren did same. Fact is they didn't. I humbly apologize. Live radio
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 1, 2016
CNN Money reported that Hannity referenced an article on the site Gateway Pundit on his radio show that linked to a story from Your News Wire that falsely claimed that the first lady “scrubbed all references to Hillary Clinton from both of her Twitter accounts as news breaks that Clinton is under two different FBI investigations involving four FBI offices.”
"It says that Michelle Obama had deleted Hillary tweets from her timeline. Did you ever check that out?" Hannity asked his producer on “The Sean Hannity Show.”
According to CNN, a woman on the show later referenced a spin-off of the hoax, saying, "Barack ObamaBarack ObamaSean Hannity apologizes for using fake news story to attack Obama Trump tanks in Gallup presidential leadership poll A vote against Trump is a vote for a third Obama term MORE and Elizabeth Warren have both unfollowed Hillary Clinton, as well as scrubbing their timeline of tweets about her."
"Wow," Hannity responded. "That means they know it's huge. You know why? Because Obama's implicated! He's implicated here, and he's pissed. You know what his legacy might be? Jail."
Hannity later downplayed the error in a statement to CNN.
"I received an e-mail LIVE ON THE AIR that linked a Gateway Pundit article,” Hannity wrote. “I questioned the accuracy of it on the air. I asked my producer on the air if it was true. She said it was. I also received a listener IM saying that they saw the same. Then THE listener mentioned that there was a report about the other 2."
"Bottom line it was brought up in an insignificant way, I was dealing with more important issues like HRC crimes and lies and how CNN has been colluding with the Clinton campaign and CHEATING Bernie SandersBernie SandersSean Hannity apologizes for using fake news story to attack Obama Sanders: ‘Damn right’ we have to stop ND pipeline The Trail 2016: The Trump Dump MORE."