CNN anchor Jake Tapper attempted to persuade Sean Parnell, a Republican, not to run against Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa.
Fox News attributed the information to a Twitter direct message it obtained revealing Tapper had suggested that Parnell run in a safer Republican district.
Fox News posted an image of the direct message Tapper reportedly sent Parnell.
It read: “And best of luck in your race. For the record I wasn’t trying to talk you out of running – I was trying to talk you into running in a safer R district! lol.” It was dated Nov. 8, 2019 — after Parnell officially declared his candidacy against Lamb.
Parnell, an Army combat veteran, recently addressed the Republican National Convention.
On Sunday, Breitbart News had reported on Tapper’s attempt to convince Parnell to run in another district other than in Pennsylvania’s 17th.
It said Tapper had made his feelings known through text messages, Twitter direct messages and in a phone call.
And Fox News said a source, unaffiliated with Parnell’s campaign, backs up that Tapper had suggested Parnell would be better off running in a safer district.
The source believes the CNN anchor was unethically participating in political activism, Fox News said.
“CNN is experts at smearing people, you’ve got their Sunday morning anchor telling you what you should or shouldn’t do ... there are other candidates who would be like, ‘Alright, I don’t need CNN coming after me,’” the source said.
CNN and Tapper did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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