Fox News Pulls ‘Judge Jeanine’ From Schedule Week After Omar Comments

Fox News Pulls ‘Judge Jeanine’ From Schedule Week After Omar Comments

A week after Fox News host Jeanine Pirro delivered a monologue suggesting Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a Muslim woman, didn’t believe in the U.S. Constitution because she wears a hijab, Justice with Judge Jeanine was not scheduled to air in its normal 9 PM ET Saturday time slot. Instead, a rerun of the documentary series Scandalous was scheduled, which debuted its second season last Sunday.

Pirro came under fire almost immediately after delivering her remarks at the top of her show last Saturday. The following day, in the wake of withering criticism across the ideological spectrum, Fox News released a statement rebuking the pro-Trump host, stating the network “strongly” condemns her comments and they “do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.”

Fox News simultaneously released a statement from Pirro in which she defended her remarks, claiming her intention was to “start a debate” before offering an invitation to Rep. Omar to appear on her program to “discuss all of the important issues facing America today.”

Pirro didn’t just receive criticism from viewers, observers, and the media. She also took heat from Fox News staffers. In a rare public repudiation of a Fox News on-air personality, Special Report with Bret Baier producer Hufsa Kamal tweeted directly at Pirro, asking her to “stop spreading this false narrative that somehow Muslims hate America or women who wear a hijab aren’t American enough?”

Kamal added: “You have Muslims working at the same network you do, including myself.”

Since Pirro’s last broadcast, at least four advertisers have announced they will no longer run commercials on her show, piling on to the headaches the network is currently enduring with advertising boycotts of embattled primetime stars Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham.

We reached out to Fox News for comment on Pirro’s show being pulled this weekend. A Fox News spokesperson said: “We’re not commenting on internal scheduling matters.”

Fox News’ other two Saturday night opinion programs, Watters World and The Greg Gutfeld Show, were both listed as airing new episodes in cable and satellite guides. Both shows’ hosts, Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld, also promoted the new broadcasts during Friday’s episode of Fox News’ The Five.

Adding to the intrugue over whether Pirro is being punished by the network, the Fox News host hasn’t tweeted since March 10th, the day Fox News condemned her.

Justin Baragona

Justin Baragona is the founder/publisher of Contemptor and a contributor to The Daily Beast. He was previously the Cable News Correspondent for Mediaite and prior to starting Contemptor, he worked on the editorial staff of PoliticusUSA. During that time, he had his work quoted by USA Today and BBC News, among others. Justin began his published career as a political writer for 411Mania. He resides in St. Louis, MO with his wife and pets.

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