Fox host Maria Bartiromo suggests Democrats creating ‘midterms’ Covid variant
Bartiromo is not the first prominent booster of former president Donald Trump to suggest Democrats are fabricating new variants to boost their midterm prospects
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo suggested that White House warnings of a possible fall wave of Covid-19 infections are part of a Democratic plot to boost the party’s chances in the November midterms.
Ms Bartiromo, once a respected business correspondent whose Mornings with Maria show is known for platforming conspiracy theorists and false election claims associated with former president Donald Trump, and who was recently revealed to have provided Mr Trump with interview questions in advance before he made an appearance on his show in late 2020, was speaking to a guest on Monday when she suggested a Washington Post report on Biden administration preparations for a possible Covid wave was part of a “midterm variant” of the virus.
“You said, ‘when the Republicans take over’, how about ‘if the Republicans take over,’ because the Washington Post is reporting more Covid on the horizon in fall, as I have been predicting, the midterms variant is on the way,” she said.
Ms Bartiromo was referring to a Post story about administration predictions that new subvariants of Omicron could cause up to 100 million infections and a “potentially significant wave of deaths this fall and winter” because the newly identified subvariants can evade immunity conferred by vaccines and prior infections.
Ms Bartiromo also tweeted her claims of the “midterms” variant.
But the Fox host has suggested previous variants were also part of Democratic plots.
When the Delta variant began spreading last August, she called the development “all quite convenient” with respect to the time remaining before the November 2022 midterms.
“It doesn’t appear the Democrats can win on policy so what are we going to do? Have a lockdown in the summer of 2022 so that we ensure mail-in ballots are flowing from empty parking lots and dead people?” she added.
But Ms Bartiromo isn’t the first prominent Trump booster to suggest Democrats are behind a “midterm variant”.
In November, Texas Representative Ronny Jackson — a medical doctor who once headed the White House Medical Unit — claimed Democrats were fabricating a “midterm election variant”.
“They NEED a reason to push unsolicited nationwide mail-in ballot,” he added.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments