Sean Hannity dismisses Lev Parnas’ connection to Trump: “There were probably 400 other people that got pictures with Trump that day”

Hannity: “People that lie and that are convicted of lying become the most valuable asset and guest on these fake news channels”

Lev Parnas, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Rudy Giuliani, Fruman

Fox News’ Sean Hannity dismissed evidence showing Donald Trump and indicted Rudy Guiliani associate Lev Parnas had met on numerous occasions by claiming Trump took pictures with 400 other people on one of the days Parnas and Trump were photographed together. CNN documented at least 10 occasions where Donald Trump and Lev Parnas interacted, 7 of which Trump posed for photos with either Parnas or his business partner, Igor Fruman. Recently released documents also show that Trump personally signed off on John Dowd, formerly one of his attorneys, representing Parnas.

Beyond those connections, Parnas worked closely with Fox contributor and frequent guest on Hannity's show John Solomon to “launch the Ukraine conspiracy.” And finally, Parnas was hired as a translator by attorneys Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing, who frequently appear on Hannity's show, sometimes all together.

Sean Hannity dismisses Lev Parnas’ connection to Trump: “There were probably 400 other people that got pictures with Trump that day”

Sean Hannity dismisses Lev Parnas’ connection to Trump: “There were probably 400 other people that got pictures with Trump that day”
Audio file

Citation From the January 16, 2020, edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Sean Hannity Show

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): Now they put all their hope in a guy by the name of Lev Parnas. Uh, let’s see. U.S. prosecutors, and I’m reading today this would be the Southern District of New York, accuse Lev Parnas of receiving and trying to hide $1 million in a payment from Russia. Wow, this is who they’re now, the mob and the Democrats, are putting their faith, hope, and -- “Great. We got him” -- in this time. Just one month after he was charged with, oh, campaign finance violations. That’s the guy the president’s saying -- now, by the way, I have experienced this myself. I’ve done photo lines. I’ll say sometimes, “How many clicks? You know, 600.” You stand there, “Hi, how are you nice to meet you. Hi, how are you, nice to meet.” You know? And then all of a sudden the picture shows up somewhere. “What are you doing with this person?” And I’m like, “I don’t know this person.” It just -- you know, you’re trying to be nice and polite, people want to take pictures. I’m glad to accommodate. You go to a baseball game, same thing. “Can I take a picture?” Sure. Take a picture. I don’t know who that person is. “Well, there’s pictures of this guy with Trump.” Yeah, and there were probably 400 other people that got pictures with Trump that day. But this is who they’re putting their hope in.

He’s admitted that he was no friend of the president. That’s a big fact, because now he’s saying, “Well, I’ve got pictures with the president.” Yeah, like a million other people. But the mob and the media, they’ll give anybody time to attack the president. I hate to say it, people that lie and then are convicted of lying become the most valuable asset and guest on these fake news channels.