Fox News staffers expressed frustration on Monday that on-air personalities at their network like prime time host Sean Hannity are continuing to peddle a conspiracy theory about the murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich.
"I'm disgusted by it," one Fox News employee told CNN.
Rich was shot to death last July in the streets of Washington, DC. The Metropolitan Police Department continues to investigate the murder and police say there is evidence to suggest Rich was the victim of a botched robbery.
But for months, right-wing media outlets have floated unproven theories that Rich was the person who provided Wikileaks with thousands of internal DNC emails, and suggested his death was retribution for the supposed leak. No real evidence has been provided to support such claims.
The theory resurfaced with a vengeance last week, in part due to an incorrect Fox News story the outlet has yet to retract. Hannity, along with the hosts of "Fox & Friends," have used their large platforms to push the discredited theory, much to the dismay of the journalists who work at the network. Hannity, who stresses he's not a journalist, posted a flurry of tweets pushing the theory over the weekend. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Fox News contributor who did not respond to requests for comment, floated the theory on the network Sunday.
Multiple Fox News employees told CNN that Hannity, who declined to comment, and others were hurting the credibility of the outlet by continuing to advance the theory, for which there is no real evidence.
"It is disappointing because it drags the rest of us down," said a senior Fox News employee, who asked how Fox News leadership could continue to allow Hannity to spread an unproven theory on the network.
Another Fox News employee said he feels that Hannity isn't letting go of the Rich story because he wants to "distract from any and all Trump scandals."
"It hurts those of us who are legitimately focused on journalism," added the first employee. "We have a chance to turn the corner at Fox, and perpetuating this conspiracy theory damages our integrity."
Some Fox News contributors made their feelings on the issue public.
Julie Roginsky, a Democratic Fox News contributor who has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the network, asked in a video posted on Fox News' website Monday for people to "please stop torturing the Rich family" with "politically motivated conspiracy theories."
Another Fox News contributor, National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg, also appeared upset with Hannity Monday. He tweeted a link to a critical Washington Post piece about the Fox News host, later adding, "Shaming Hannity is my intention."
The Daily Beast additionally reported on Monday that Fox News staffers were "embarrassed" by Hannity's promotion of the conspiracy theory.
Brad Bauman, spokesman for the Rich family, told CNN last week that "anyone who continues to push this fake news story after it was so thoroughly debunked is proving to the world they have a transparent political agenda or are a sociopath."
Bauman told CNN on Monday that Hannity had not reached out to the family. Hannity has, however, reached out to invite Kim Dotcom, the Megauploader founder, who is currently in New Zealand fighting extradition to the U.S., where he is wanted on charges of copyright infringement and money laundering, on to his show. Dotcom has claimed to have evidence Rich leaked documents to Wikileaks, though he has not provided such evidence to the public. He did not respond to an email CNN sent him seeking comment on Monday.
