MSNBC viewers on Tuesday threatened to boycott MSNBC if the network does not fire conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt after a report revealed that he had received special favors from embattled EPA chief Scott Pruitt.
Politico reported on Monday that Pruitt "placed a polluted California area on his personal priority list of Superfund sites targeted for 'immediate and intense' action after conservative radio and television host Hugh Hewitt brokered a meeting between him and lawyers for the water district that was seeking federal help to clean up the polluted Orange County site."
New York Times reporter Michael Barbaro pointed out the ethical problems with MSNBC continuing to allow Hewitt to defend Pruitt on the air.
Um, it's not okay for a cable news contributor to ask the EPA administrator for favors like this and still be on TV talking about him. At. All. CC: @MSNBC https://t.co/Pn36zZqbps
— Michael Barbaro (@mikiebarb) May 8, 2018
Viewers on Twitter agreed, and called on MSNBC to fire Pruitt.
@MSNBC needs to dump Hugh Hewitt like yesterday's garbage. He was a bad hire in the first place.
Plenty of decent conservative voices out there. #FireHewitt https://t.co/PnagshKlVY— ImpeachTrump (@dumptrump33) May 8, 2018
#ChesireHack @hughhewitt @MSNBC never should have allowed this partisan hack to appear. https://t.co/OrUtvOFTwr
— Dan Spence (@danspence2006) May 8, 2018
@MSNBC unload Hugh Hewitt https://t.co/Cg1uqfFiYa
— Toni Hoelting (@toni_hoelting) May 8, 2018
MSNBC should fire Hugh Hewitt immediately. https://t.co/rArAd16q0z
— Matt Murphy (@MattMurph24) May 8, 2018
MSNBC should never have hired the smug Hugh Hewitt in the first place. Do producers really think we want to see this Trump apologist on TV so often (ever)? I reach for the clicker whenever his mug comes on the screen. https://t.co/P4TTmRiIEv
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) May 8, 2018
.@MSNBC WOW! This is not ok. Fire Hugh Hewitt or you'll face a boycott from your subscribers.
Hewitt dealing with Scott Pruitt. Seriously?!
Your #1 host .@maddow begged for #Flint water cleanup.
Hewitt is backstabbing Flint. Shameful!#resist #resistance #TheResistance— Helen Ehrenhofer (@helenehrenhofer) May 8, 2018
@msnbc why do you continue to give a platform to this person? @hughhewitt is not only dead boring, he is deeply corrupt. https://t.co/lUrIeBUDC4
— decca (@decca0830) May 8, 2018
Hey @MSNBC, maybe it’s time to get rid of @hughhewitt. Not only is he a hack, but now this. https://t.co/MsdjQ9bED4
— Andrew “Floperator” Downie (@adownie) May 8, 2018
Fire @hughhewitt if you are a real news organization @MSNBC #FireHughHewitt https://t.co/6XzO29S40N
— G Michael (@UsVsThemBlog) May 8, 2018
Shameful #HughHewitt #MSNBC Get him off the air.
— Allan Johnson (@allanjohnsonmn1) May 8, 2018
Fire Hugh Hewitt, now!!
— Cheryl127017471 (@CherylM27017471) May 8, 2018
Why Hugh Hewitt has any sort of platform on @MSNBC remains unfathomable to me.
— Kay Brizzie (@kbrizzie1020) May 8, 2018
Turns out that swamp monster #Pruitt had a little friend whispering in his ear and setting up meetings for him. Guess who? ANOTHER "conservative" disgrace to journalism, #HughHewitt who has been defending the embattled EPA chief for WEEKS on TV. Hewitt should be fired. Today. https://t.co/afBUDXwHJG
— Nick Walden Poublon (@NWPinPDX) May 8, 2018
@msnbc It's long past time to ditch Hugh Hewitt off your network. https://t.co/PMAXPYHNYu
— Dr. Vicki Hayes (@WonderfulwomanK) May 8, 2018
Hey @MSNBC @LackAndy why do you continue to employ Hugh Hewitt when he is using your platform for unethical purposes? Fire him now. #FireHughHewitt https://t.co/0blcJLUS6L
— Stephen A. Rhodes (@StephenARhodes) May 8, 2018
OK @MSNBC you can officially stop putting @hughhewitt on the air https://t.co/70WdwAXg9Q
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) May 8, 2018
Please! @msnbc has to fire @hughhewitt . Was never right https://t.co/oQqF1ml97d
— Lori Goldstein (@lori_goldstein) May 8, 2018
Um, @MSNBC - it’s time to ditch Hugh Hewitt. I would tell himself but the snowflake blocked me. https://t.co/v054VGfWPR
— GetHimOuttaHere2018🧢 (@gethimouttahere) May 8, 2018
