Tennessee Democrat Justin Jones launched a blistering attack on Fox News host Sean Hannity during a fiery interview on Wednesday night, accusing him of associating with 'pedophiles and perverts' and comparing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to the Ku Klux Klan.
The clash erupted when Hannity pressed Jones on crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Tennessee. Jones deflected by referencing the Epstein files, stating: 'You want to go through a list? Go through the list of the pedophiles and perverts who hang out at Mar-a-Lago.' He later called on God to make Hannity 'stop hanging out with perverts in Mar-a-Lago.' Neither Hannity nor Donald Trump has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein.
Jones, who has a Filipina mother and an African American father, also compared ICE to the KKK, saying both 'dragged Americans out of their homes while hiding their identities with masks.' When Hannity questioned his knowledge of the Klan, Jones retorted: 'They ran my grandparents out of Tennessee.' He added: 'My father was a U.S. Marine; he fought for this country. Who have you served, Sean, other than your pocketbook?'
The Democrat accused Hannity of profiting from fear, claiming he earns $45 million a year by keeping viewers fearful and distracted from corporate greed. 'Their pain is real, but it's not immigrants, it's the corporate CEOs who are screwing them over,' Jones said. Hannity hit back, branding Jones a 'disgrace' and urging him to pray for victims in his state.
The Independent has contacted Fox News and Representative Jones for comment.
