Fox News Channel's Special Report on Thursday covered a shocking story that Robert Malley the architect behind the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal was himself under investigation for alleged ties to the Iranian regime. During their Thursday evening newscasts, all three of the nightly news broadcasts avoided covering this revelation.
Instead, they decided Olympic athlete Mary Lou Retton's daughter battling pneumonia (ABC) and local weather reports (CBS) were all more important stories.
"Rob Malley was a top architect of the now-defunct Iran nuclear deal negotiated during the Obama administration. The State Department suspended his security clearance in June. That’s when Fox News confirmed he was under FBI investigation. The bureau is mum tonight on that probe but there are reports, Bret, that he mishandled classified information," Fox News correspondent David Spunt reported.
Spunt then aired stunning footage of Malley speaking highly of Hamas during a 2009 interview for a documentary:
There's so much misinformation about that. I mean, I speak to them, and my colleagues speak to them. Now, we may disagree with them, but they have their own rationality. That's one thing to understand. These are not. None of them are crazies, they may do things that we consider to belong to a different realm of rationality but within their own system, it's often very logical.
Ending his report, Spunt noted that "In June of this year when he was suspended, he said in a statement, I've been informed that my security clearance is under review, I have not been provided any further information but I expect the investigation to be resolved favorably and soon. In the meantime, I am on leave. An FBI source tells Fox News the investigation is ongoing, a State Department spokesman declined to give details on this probe."
The transcript is below:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
10/12/2023
6:19:49 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: Now another follow-up on the case of a high-ranking U.S. official with suspected ties to Iran. House Republicans are seeking new information on special envoy Robert Malley Correspondent David Spunt fills us in tonight. Good evening, David.
DAVID SPUNT: Good evening to you, Rob Malley was a top architect of the now-defunct Iran nuclear deal negotiated during the Obama administration. The State Department suspended his security clearance in June. That’s when Fox News confirmed he was under FBI investigation. The bureau is mum tonight on that probe but there are reports, Bret, that he mishandled classified information. He has extensive experience when it comes to U.S. Iranian affairs. We found some archival footage from a 2009 interview for a documentary that gives perspective about Malley’s relationship with Hamas. Listen.
ROBERT MALLEY: There's so much misinformation about that. I mean, I speak to them, and my colleagues speak to them. Now, we may disagree with them, but they have their own rationality. That's one thing to understand. These are not. None of them are crazies, they may do things that we consider to belong to a different realm of rationality but within their own system, it's often very logical.
SPUNT: In June of this year when he was suspended, he said in a statement, I've been informed that my security clearance is under review, I have not been provided any further information but I expect the investigation to be resolved favorably and soon. In the meantime, I am on leave. An FBI source tells Fox News the investigation is ongoing, a State Department spokesman declined to give details on this probe. Bret?
