‘Where’s Your Source?!’: CNN Guest Calls Trump Ally a Liar to His Face and Refuses to Take It Back — Then Pulls Out One Fact That Destroys Him on Live TV
A CNN panel devolved into chaos after a political commentator challenged an ally of President Donald Trump over false accusations of election fraud in California’s primary with both shouting at each other and calling the other “a liar.”
It happened on CNN’s “NewsNight with Abby Phillip” Monday, June 8, when journalist and commentator Charles Blow called out Trump donor and fundraiser Hal Lambert over allegations that California’s primary is “rigged” and that the slow pace of counting mail-in ballots proves it, which is patently untrue, according to critics.
Lambert and another MAGA panelist amped up Trump’s talking points about “Rigged Elections!” Trump has spent the past week trying to cast the state’s election as fraudulent and “rigged” while offering no proof or evidence.
Former actor and journalist L.Z. Granderson had just pointed out that repeated Trump investigations into alleged election fraud have turned up nothing. And a sidebar here, opponents contend Trump is actually the one trying to pull off election fraud by constantly undermining free and fair elections in the U.S.
Lambert toed the Trump line continuing to try to cast doubt on California’s outcome so far.
“I just believe that this is a news show on a news channel. I have an ethical responsibility to say that you are lying,” Blow told Lambert.
A furious Lambert yelled, “No, you are lying.”
To which Blow responded, “I didn’t interrupt you, and you will not attack me.”
Phillip tried to interject at this point but an enraged Lambert shouted, “You don’t call me a liar on national TV.”
Phillip finally managed to shut the MAGA sycophant down, telling Blow to continue.
“I have an ethical responsibility if people are going to come over here and poison voters’ views of an election system that has no proof that it is rigged in any way, spouting the same lie that the President is spouting,” an exasperated Blow pointed out.
“We have an ethical responsibility at this table in a news show, on a news channel, to call that out. And I’m going to do that. You can huff and puff and be mad all you want, and I don’t care,” he added.
Lambert flailed around trying to compare Trump and his cronies’ ongoing election denials to other kinds of government fraud and waste.
That’s when Phillip jumped in.
“Let me just ask you to do two things: First of all, let us try to be tethered in facts. Second of all, let’s respond to what he said about your claims on the election,” she suggested.
“I don’t want to hear about Medicare fraud. I don’t want to hear about any kind of other fraud other than your claims of voter fraud and what proof you have of them,” the host added.
Lambert then said he was basing his accusations of fraud on California’s refusal to hand over its voter rolls to the Trump administration as most states have done.
Phillip pointed out that it’s illegal to give the federal government access to voters’ personal information.
But Lambert wasn’t finished, insisting there is evidence. “My point is that he’s [Blow] saying there’s no evidence. They won’t allow evidence to be gathered.”
An incredulous Blow pointed out the obvious.
“The absurdity of your point is that you don’t have proof. I can prove that I don’t have proof because they won’t let us investigate. So, you don’t have proof and you just proved that you don’t have it.”
At another point, Blow cited the Heritage Foundation for finding only 39 cases of voter fraud. “They keep 30 years … tracked 32 elections, 100 million votes … they found 39 total cases of voter fraud,” Blow said.
“That’s absurd,” Lamabert shot back, setting off Blow again. “Where’s your proof, I just cited my source … what is your source … where is your source?” he fumed.
Social media exploded in anger over Trump and his allies ongoing attempts to cast doubt on California’s election.
X poster Peter Hurst noted, “One of the key rules of Fascism:” above a photo and quote from the chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, Joseph Goebbels. “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.”
Another is just tired of Trump and company’s falsehoods. “It’s about time we got off the crazy train and called these LIARS, LIARS TO THEIR FACES. Bravo sir. Job well done.”
“Lambert is another MAGA Liar,” another chimed in.
California voters went to the polls on Tuesday, June 2, but more than a week later, election officials are still counting votes. That’s one of the reasons Republicans and mainly Trump continue to try and press the false claim that the election was “rigged.” But fact-checkers have thoroughly debunked the accusations pointing out that mail-in ballots always take longer to count.