Trump campaign officials and other Republicans bashed CNN on Wednesday for not carrying the start of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing featuring testimony from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on his report on the FBI, Russia, and the 2016 campaign.
"CNN ought to replace their logo with the DNC logo and be done with it," tweeted Tim Murtaugh, Trump campaign communications director.
The committee, chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was scheduled to begin its hearing at 10 a.m. ET.
Horowitz's widely anticipated testimony was expected to shed further light into his findings that the FBI was justified in investigating ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.
Murtaugh's tweet included a 10:09 a.m. post from Steve Guest, the Republican National Committee's rapid response director: "After giving their air time COMPLETELY over to Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff for the past few weeks, CNN IS NOT AIRING the start of the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Horowitz's IG report.
"#StopTheMadness," he tweeted.
At 10:15, Guest ripped CNN again: "CNN has now cut to a COMMERCIAL break while @LindseyGrahamSC is laying out what is in the IG REPORT."
Minutes later, at 10:23, Guest posted: "CNN now is airing a panel discussion with two reporters on impeachment."
In addition, former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who worked under President George W. Bush, also slammed CNN on Twitter at 10:28: "CNN is not taking the Senate Horowitz hearing live. Unbelievable.
"A perfect example of how bias works.
"It's not just what they cover," he said. "It's what they don't cover."
The Judiciary Committee's hearing began with opening statements from Graham and ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., but CNN instead carried reports on Horowitz's findings and commentary from anchors, reporters and commentators.
At 10:37, CNN played an excerpt from Graham's statement regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 election, but anchor Poppy Harlow said it was not for that part of the interview.
Technicians could not retrieve the requested video, but later played the Graham sound bite again.
During later news reports, most likely while opening statements were underway during the hearing, CNN pictured Horowitz at the hearing table in a small box on the screen under the headline "soon on CNN" with a chyron saying, "Justice Dept. Watchdog Testifies on Report."
CNN did not pick up the hearing live until 10:57 a.m., while Horowitz was giving his opening remarks, and carried the session until 12:19, when it cut away for the "Inside Politics" program.
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