Ben Smith, a former employee of Buzzfeed, now a writer for The New York Times, reported that Jonah Goldberg, a former National Review writer, and Stephen Hayes, a former Weekly Standard writer, have resigned from the network after the special broadcasted on Fox's online subscription streaming service Fox Nation. Both have regularly appeared on the network since 2009.
According to Smith, days earlier, the two had a text exchange after seeing the trailer for the special where they considered leaving Fox. The trailer for the special about the January 6 riot at the US Capitol dropped on October 27. That evening, Goldberg sent a text to his business partner, Stephen Hayes, saying, "I'm tempted just to quit Fox over this."
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Hayes responded, "I'm game. Totally outrageous. It will lead to violence. Not sure how we can stay."
"It's basically saying that the Biden regime is coming after half the country, and this is the War on Terror 2.0," Goldberg told NPR. "It traffics in all manner of innuendo and conspiracy theories that I think legitimately could lead to violence. That for me, and for Steve, was the last straw."
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The pair established The Dispatch in 2019 as "...a place that thoughtful readers can come for conservative, fact-based news and commentary," which now boasts 30,000 paid subscribers.
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Tucker Carlson Tonight is usually the highest-rated prime-time cable news show, surpassing the competition on rival networks.
Smith talked with Hayes, 51, and Goldberg, 52, in a video. Goldberg said, "Whether it's Patriot Purge or anti-vax stuff, I don't want it in my name, and I want to call it out and criticize it. I don't want to feel like I am betraying a trust that I had by being a Fox News contributor. And I also don't want to be accused of not really pulling the punches. And then this was just an untenable tension for me."
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According to Smith, Carlson said that Hayes's and Goldberg's departures were "great news" during a telephone interview and added, "our viewers will be grateful."
Smith confirmed that high-profile resignations like these are unique due to the profitable salary and perks that come with these positions.
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Goldberg added, "There are lots of people there that I respect and like and consider friends, and they're making a decision based upon how to provide for their families and deal with their careers and all of that. And I'm not going to second-guess them. And there are also lots of people over there who think the Fox opinion side today is awesome."
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