Sinclair Broadcasting Group has decided not to air the controversial segment on Eric Bolling‘s program America This Week, which featured a guest promoting the conspiracy theory that Dr. Anthony Fauci was somehow responsible for creating the coronavirus.
This is an about face from the company’s decision from over the weekend, when the network told CNN that it would postpone and “rework” the segment featuring “Plandemic” pusher Judy Mikovits, which was planned to air on America This Week.
“Upon further review, we have decided not to air the interview with Dr. Mikovits,” a Sinclair spokesperson told CNN’s Oliver Darcy. “Although the segment did include an expert to dispute Dr. Mikovits, given the nature of the theories she presented we believe it is not appropriate to air the interview.
“We also reiterate our appreciation for all that Dr. Fauci and his team have accomplished for the health and well-being of Americans and people worldwide,” the Sinclair spokesperson added. “During this pandemic, Sinclair and its affiliates have positively and prominently featured Dr. Fauci on air, including interviews with our stations and our network, Stadium. There remains an open invite for Dr. Fauci to appear on our stations any time.”
Darcy, the first to raise a red flag concerning this segment, writes:
In the segment that the company had initially planned to air, Mikovits told Bolling that Fauci had over the past decade “manufactured” and shipped coronaviruses to Wuhan, China, which became the original epicenter of the current outbreak. Bolling noted that this was a “hefty claim,” but did not meaningfully challenge Mikovits and allowed her to continue making her case.
Sinclair initially defended airing the segment Saturday morning, tweeting that while it did not endorse the conspiracy theory but “was committed to providing its audience diverse viewpoints.”
That endorsement turned into a postponement and reworking of the segment.
“I recognize this segment does need to be reworked to provide better context, and as such we are delaying the airing of the episode for one week,” Bolling told CNN. “Let me also add that I have immense respect for Dr. Fauci and recognize him as the leading expert on this topic. For the past two months, I have consistently pursued the opportunity to bring Dr. Fauci on air so that he may provide critical information to the public about the virus. The invitation stands.”
That postponement/reworking then turned into a total shutdown not long after.
Not surprisingly, Mitkovits’ representation is not happy with the CNN reporter.
According to Darcy, yesterday afternoon, when asked for comment on Sinclair’s decision, Larry Klayman, an attorney for Mikovits, responded in an email by reiterating legal threats against CNN for its reporting. Previously, Klayman said he stood by what his client said on Bolling’s show, and Darcy says he stands by his reporting.