A host of conservative American news channel Newsmax walked out of an interview with a pro-Trump activist promoting fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Anchor Bob Sellers and fellow host Heather Childers were interviewing MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a pro-Trump figure who rushed to help him with conspiracy theories during the former president’s last days in office.
'New evidence of election fraud coming Friday'
Newsmax invites Mike Lindell, who advocated for a coup and spews dangerous conspiracy theories, on air. It didn't go well. pic.twitter.com/6xzSgXlHua
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) February 2, 2021
A pro-Trump outlet, Newsmax published an online promotion for Lindell just last week after several companies stopped selling MyPillow products due to Lindell’s attempts to overturn election results.
“During the election he stood up for what he believed, and he continues to fight for what’s right,” the promotion said at the time. “Make sure you support him by buying one of his great pillows or related products.”
During the Tuesday interview, Lindell was endorsing the Trump talking point that the Dominion Voting Systems were rigged in favor of now President Joe Biden, but the host refused to agree with him.
“You’re talking about machines that we at Newsmax have not been able to verify any of those kinds of allegations,” Sellers said. “We just want to let people know that there’s nothing substantive with what we’ve seen.”
He also read from a written statement as Lindell was trying to speak over him.
"Let me read you something," the host said. "While there were some clear evidence of some cases of vote fraud and election irregularities, the election results in every state were certified, and Newsmax accepts the results as legal and final, the courts have also supported that view."
Lindell further suggested that he would unveil new evidence against election fraud on Friday.
“I’m revealing all the evidence on Friday of all the election fraud of these machines,” MyPillow CEO said during the Tuesday interview.
Trump and his allies have refused to accept Biden’s victory in the November 3, 2020, race although allegations of fraud have been dismissed by US courts.
Lindell, a 59-year-old businessman, carried documents into the White House before the end of Trump’s tenure, suggesting that he could declare martial law after what he claimed was widespread vote rigging.