NYT On Hannity’s Retraction Demand: That’s A No

Two week ago the New York Times published a piece about a Brooklyn bar owner who died after taking a cruise, because, his family says, Sean Hannity had convinced him that the pandemic was under control.

As I reported that week, Hannity went ballistic, demanding a retraction and threatening to sue.

Which brings us to today:

The New York Times on Tuesday said it would not retract or apologize for columns critical of Fox News host Sean Hannity’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic after Hannity’s attorney threatened legal action against the newspaper.

“The columns are accurate, do not reasonably imply what you and Mr. Hannity allege they do, and constitute protected opinion,” wrote Times’ legal counsel David E. McCraw to Hannity attorney Charles Harder.

“In response to your request for an apology and retraction, our answer is no,” the letter concludes. Hannity has since called the column a “smear” that exploited Joyce’s death and “pretty much all but accused [him] of murder.”

New York Times newsroom lawyer David McCraw delivers this response to @seanhannity request for retraction and apology related to @nytimes coverage: “No.” Addressed to Hannity lawyer Charles Harder: pic.twitter.com/0v7URfo1kz

— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) April 28, 2020