After years of marching in lockstep with the more extremist elements of the GOP and former Republican President Donald Trump, a rift seems to be forming between Fox News and Trump and his remaining enablers.
After the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) served a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago—Trump's Florida home turned resort—the Trump camp went on the offensive, attacking the integrity and authority of the federal law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice (DoJ).
Those members of Congress still loyal to Trump did the same.
However when Republican House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana took that message to Fox News morning program Fox & Friends, he got pushback from longtime host Steve Doocy.
You can see Scalise and Doocy clash here:
\u201cFox\u2019s Doocy surprisingly presses Rep. Steve Scalise on FBI agents receiving death threats due to baseless GOP attacks over lawful Mar-a-Lago search.\n\nScalise: \u201cIt concerns everybody if you see some agents go rogue.\u201d\n\nDoocy: \u201cWho went rogue? They were following a search warrant.\u201d\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1660226043
Doocy kept the pressure on Scalise to justify his fellow Republicans' unsupported attacks on the FBI.
\u201c@therecount Wow cannot believe it!\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1660226043
On Thursday, Doocy called out Republican Representatives Paul Gosar of Arizona and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, saying:
"...there are a of people online and elsewhere who are demonizing the FBI."
\u201cThe FBI raid on Trump's home tells us one thing. \n\nFailure is not an option. \n\nWe must destroy the FBI.\n\nWe must save America.\n\nI stand with Donald J. Trump.\u201d— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS) 1660010241
\u201cThis is the type of rogue tactics that happen in countries right before they fall into tyrannical dictatorships.\n\nNo one should tolerate this!!!\u201d— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1660146233
After noting increased threats against law enforcement in the wake of GOP attacks on the FBI, Doocy asked Scalise:
"I’m just curious, whatever happened to the Republican Party backing the blue?"
"And, in particular, the [35,000] members of law enforcement, federal law enforcement, at the FBI?"
The Louisiana politician tried to justify his party's actions, saying:
"...it concerns everybody if you see some agents go rogue."
Scalise added:
"[The FBI] doesn’t have the right checks and balances at the top."
But Doocy pushed back hard, asking Scalise to provide facts instead of Trump serving rhetoric.
"Steve [Scalise], who went rouge?"
"They were following a search warrant."
Ignoring the direct question, Scalise indicated a full investigation of the FBI and DoJ was needed.
@MackNJeeves/Twitter
\u201cSteve Doocy: Who went rogue?\nSteve Scalise: we have to find that out.\n\n\ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f so you\u2019re accusing the agency of having bad actors and going rogue SIMPLY because they went after Trump? THATS the crime? \n\nIt\u2019s not a cult AT ALL\ud83d\udc4c\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Nicole \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf9 (@Nicole \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf9) 1660240405
While people were surprised by Fox News' split from Trump and his agenda, they still criticized the network for amplifying, legitimizing and enabling him for years.
People admired the sentiment from Doocy, but not always the messenger or the medium.
\u201cIt's a red-letter day when Steve Doocy decides to be a journalist and presses Scalise. Still looking up for those flying pigs.\u201d— W. M. (@W. M.) 1660245223
\u201c@aruss_updates @therecount\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1660226043
\u201cThe Republican Party has fallen so far off the cliff they are forcing Steve Doocy to ask logical questions.\u201d— Ralph Carhart (@Ralph Carhart) 1660238710
\u201cDear Steve Doocy-standing up to Steve Scalise when he was pretty much trying to incite the cult was brilliant. Ask Kevin McCarthy the same hard hitting questions, because his written statements sounds like he wants a war. This is insanity. One side has bailed on reality.\u201d— BidenPleaseandthankyou (@BidenPleaseandthankyou) 1660242444
\u201cLooks like Kevin McCarthy forgot to send the GOP talking points to Steve Doocy at Fox News this morning.\u201d— Keith Boykin (@Keith Boykin) 1660232100
\u201cWhen Steve Doocy is begging Steve Scalise to say he backs law enforcement and Scalise hums and haws, you know the maga party is against any form of Law and Order. Protect the conman no matter what.\u201d— lind K (@lind K) 1660253040
\u201c\u201cSteve Doocy, please report to the Fox News principal\u2019s office, she would like to have a word\u2026Steve Doocy, please report to the office.\u201d\u201d— Vaughn Sterling (@Vaughn Sterling) 1660232388
\u201cSo now we know why Steve Doocy changed his tune this morning.\u201d— Heather West (@Heather West) 1660238968
\u201cSteve Doocy is updating his resume and applying to CNN or MSNBC. Doesn\u2019t he know asking a logical question can get you canned?\u201d— john duffy (@john duffy) 1660247116
\u201cJohn Heilmann just showed a clip of Steve Doocy defending the FBI against CONGRESSMAN Scalise's claim that "the agents who searched trump's home were "rogue operators". Steve actually asked "how could they be rogue when they're just conducting an authorized search?"\u201d— rose petal (@rose petal) 1660254256
\u201cSteve Doocy must be a disappointment to Peter today. Showing intelligence and reason on Fox and Friends is not a career enhancing move.\u201d— Francis Fashing (@Francis Fashing) 1660240868
The exact reason for the search has not been revealed publicly, but the DoJ and several press organizations have petitioned the court to unseal the records. Trump was issued a full copy of the warrant but has chosen not to make it public or disclose information to the GOP.
The New York Times speculated it may be related to classified documents Trump removed from the White House and brought with him to his semi-public resort—which offers paid memberships to the public but also can be rented as an event space.
In 2018, Trump himself signed legislation strengthening the penalties for mishandling classified documents.
Scalise and GOP leadership are calling for a full investigation of the FBI and DoJ over the Mar-a-Lago search, but they didn't demand one after Trump returned at least some if not all of the documents he removed from the White House.
It was also noted GOP congressional leadership opposed any investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot that resulted in at least five deaths, over 100 injuries to law enforcement and millions of dollars in damages.
\u201cThe GOP's hysterical tantrums are tells\n\nThey don't like FBI raids because they have crimes to hide\n\nThey don't like IRS expansion because they have tax evasion & money laundering to hide\n\nThey don't like the January 6 investigation because they have a criminal conspiracy to hide\u201d— Foggynoggin (@Foggynoggin) 1660012572
Whether the GOP gets their investigation into the latest investigation of Donald Trump remains to be seen.