Jeanine Pirro, a prominent figure in U.S. law enforcement and former Fox News star, is facing scrutiny from her past colleagues at Fox News who have described her using harsh terms.
In internal communications, a Fox News executive labeled her a “reckless maniac,” while another expressed distrust in her ability to act responsibly.
A third executive highlighted her inclination to explore dubious conspiracy theories from fringe internet sources, and a corporate board member labeled her public statements as “insane.”
These remarks surfaced during a defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, a voting technology company, against Fox News, where Pirro is a named defendant.
Her comments during the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, where she propagated unfounded claims about the election being stolen from President Donald Trump, have attracted significant legal and public scrutiny.
Currently, as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Pirro has become a prominent figure in the Trump administration’s approach to crime reduction in the capital, which includes a visible presence of federal law enforcement.
Sarah Isgur, a former senior official in the U.S. Justice Department during Trump’s first term, remarked that Pirro’s capabilities will soon be tested in her role, providing an opportunity to determine whether her critics were correct in their assessments of her qualifications.
Pirro, who declined to comment on the situation during an unexpected meeting aboard an Amtrak train, has seen a resurgence in her law enforcement career nearly two decades after her prior appearances in the legal arena.
Previously, Pirro served as a prosecutor and judge and even attempted to run against Clinton for a U.S. Senate seat in 2006 before withdrawing her candidacy to pursue a run for New York attorney general, a bid that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Now, in her capacity as U.S. attorney for D.C., she has made headlines for her announcements regarding significant indictments and law enforcement actions, including operations against gang leaders and drug trafficking organizations.
While she has taken bold stances, not all actions taken by her office have led to successful convictions, as judges have voiced concerns over the quality of evidence submitted.
For example, a grand jury refused to indict a former Justice Department employee for felony assault after he threw a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer.
In another case, a grand jury declined to indict a woman accused of assaulting an FBI agent, and recently, another grand jury opted not to pursue charges against a woman for threatening President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump cited Pirro’s prior law enforcement experience alongside her performance as a Fox News anchor when appointing her to the position, recognizing her unwavering support and promotion of his agenda on air.
However, her past at Fox News, characterized by a relentless defense of Trump and the propagation of unsubstantiated claims regarding election fraud, raised internal tensions within the network as it navigated public backlash following the 2020 election results.
On election night, Fox’s projection team declared Joe Biden had won Arizona, a decision that shocked many viewers and resulted in a significant fallout for the network.
With millions of viewers leaving Fox News and parent company stock taking a hit, the executives found themselves in a precarious position.
As the network grappled with its viewer base and credibility, Pirro became a notable voice advocating the narrative of a stolen election, contradicting the evidence that was publicly available.
Internal exchanges highlight the unease among Fox leadership regarding Pirro’s rhetoric.
On Nov. 6, David Clark, Fox News’ senior vice president for weekend programming, expressed doubts about her ability to responsibly handle her show in light of the upcoming broadcast.
The network ultimately decided to cancel her show that day, claiming that it was simply preempted for routine election coverage despite the internal awareness of her potential to lean heavily into unfounded conspiracy claims over the election.
This was not the first time she faced repercussions for her statements; a previous incident in 2019 led to her withdrawal from the airwaves following comments directed at U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar.
In another internal communication after her show was pulled, Pirro made her dissatisfaction known to Fox star Sean Hannity, believing that her censorship was politically motivated.
On Nov. 13, Fox executives tried to guide Pirro, advising her to rectify the misleading narratives she propagated concerning election integrity.
As pressure mounted, Lachlan Murdoch, the executive chairman of Fox Corp., reached out to ensure Pirro communicated more accurate information during her broadcasts.
Despite efforts to manage her messaging, concerns persisted among Fox executives about Pirro’s reliability as she continued to echo false claims about election fraud involving voting technology companies, Smartmatic and Dominion.
Her insistence on discussing these companies persisted despite denials and warnings from both executives and the often critical research from within Fox News itself.
As the situation escalated, executives expressed their frustration, with internal communications calling her a “reckless maniac” and raising alarms regarding her tendency to amplify baseless conspiracy theories.
During her shows, Pirro introduced the divisive narrative that voting technology was manipulated by foreign actors, despite reputable sources categorically denying any evidence that corroborated this viewpoint.
Subsequent to the claims about election fraud, she was a vocal supporter of Trump leading up to the January 6 rally, drawing comparisons between the protesters and American Revolutionaries.
After the Capitol insurrection, Pirro changed her tone, but still made inflammatory remarks comparing the deplatforming of certain right-wing social media accounts to Kristallnacht, a comparison that drew significant backlash internally.
Anne Dias, a board member at Fox Corp., characterized Pirro’s statements as “insane,” reflecting the mounting strain on the network to manage its shifts in public perception and internal conflict over its programming choices.
In the aftermath of various legal and financial repercussions stemming from the election falsehoods, Fox News faced extensive scrutiny over its handling of this episode, leading to the reduction of some of its more controversial voices.
Although there were considerable internal challenges with Pirro’s approach, she was later promoted to a more prominent position as a full-time host on “The Five,” solidifying her presence within the network until her appointment by President Donald Trump as the leading prosecutor in Washington, D.C.
As Pirro continues to navigate her new role in law enforcement, observers are keenly aware of her earlier rhetoric and the implications these internal criticisms from Fox News executives may have on her future decisions and credibility.
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