Sean Hannity is not likely to face much blowback from Fox News over his failure to disclose his relationship with President Trump's personal lawyer, said Michael Calderone, Politico's senior media reporter.
"He pretty much plays by his own rules at Fox," said Calderone in an interview Wednesday on Cheddar. "He's their top rated host, he's been there for decades, and he seems to get away with whatever he wants."
Hannity spends much of his 9 p.m. nightly show on Fox News defending Trump, railing against the special counsel's Russia investigation, and slamming the FBI for raiding the office and home of Michael Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer. Then came the [revelation](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/business/media/sean-hannity-michael-cohen-client.html) Monday that Hannity himself had sought legal advice from Cohen.
Though Hannity did not disclose his relationship with Cohen, the Fox host "seems to get away with whatever he wants," said Calderone.
The Politico reporter said he spoke with Hannity last year, during an advertiser boycott of Hannity's show when the TV host was aggressively pushing a conspiracy theory about the killing of a Democratic National Committee staffer, Seth Rich.
"Throughout all of that Sean Hannity was defiant," said Calderone. "He called me up and said 'I can say whatever I want, at Fox News, everyone there leaves me alone.'"
Hannity has acknowledged he asked Cohen for legal advice, but said he isn't a client since there was never a third party involved, and he never received a bill.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/sean-hannity-in-hot-water).
Texas is lifting a COVID-19 mask mandate that was imposed last summer but has only been lightly enforced. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement Tuesday makes Texas the largest state to do away with a face covering order.
Drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved coronavirus vaccine in an effort to expand supply more quickly.
Calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign are intensifying now that a third woman has accused him of offensive behavior.
The pill comprises 40% of the profits in the U.S. contraceptive market and 25% of contraceptive consumers, causing millions of unnecessary ‘periods’ along the way. So, why hasn’t birth control evolved beyond the pseudo-period?
This is your Washington Week Ahead for the week of March 1.
U.S. health advisers have endorsed a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson that's expected to provide an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic.
Following the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the widespread SolarWinds cyberattack, cybersecurity experts are pushing the need for private businesses and federal agencies to cooperate closely to prevent future such breaches.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Andy Purdy, chief security officer for the company's U.S. division, refuted reports that Huawei would be manufacturing electric cars of its own.
Democrats are looking to Biden to aggressively pursue judicial appointments following Trump's rapid rate of picks. Advocates point to some early signs that the new president may be following their lead.
