The latest verbal battle between Megyn Kelly and liberal Fox News contributor Richard Fowler took place during Tuesday’s Kelly File over a Black Lives Matter activist getting right up to the face of a Chicago police officer as live coverage unfolded of protests in Chicago related to the shooting death of LaQuan McDonald.
Kelly alluded to the stare down when she interrupted former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik to direct viewers to “an extraordinary moment” of footage showing the activist giving a firm stare to a police officer stationed outside a Chicago PD’s District One headquarters.
As Kerik shook it off as a situation where “you’re going to have guys like this” who “want to instigate” a provocation, Fowler interjected: “What is he instigating, Bernie? I'm sorry. I’ve got to interrupt.”
Kelly then snapped back at Fowler: “But Richard, look at him. This is a cop out there accused of doing nothing wrong, trying to keep the peace.”
Fowler maintained that the activist was merely “[h]aving a silent protest with the police officer” and exercising his First Amendment rights, but needless to say, The Kelly File host was not having it:
KELLY: He gets in his face and stairs him down. This cop hasn't done anything wrong.
FOWLER: But that is his First Amendment right, Megyn and you, of all people —
KELLY: To get in a cop's face and stare him down? That —
FOWLER: This is his first amendment right. I don't understand.
KELLY: You think that's fine? You have no problem with this?
She continued by emphasizing that “[i]t’s not a question of what his constitutional rights are” but rather “what's appropriate.” Before bringing the rest of the panel back into the fray, Kelly and Fowler exchanged one last set of blows:
FOWLER: And I see nothing wrong with this. I think what is inappropriate is this prosecutor took 13 months to prosecute this individual when this police officer had 18 different complaints against him from citizens of Chicago.
KELLY: Correct and no one here, as far as I can tell, is defending that officer. The question is whether it speaks to a greater narrative as some allege and this moment here.
As frequent readers of NewsBusters will know, this was only the most recent instance of verbal fireworks between Kelly and Fowler. For examples, readers can check a few other instances out here, here, and here.
The relevant portion of the transcript from FNC’s The Kelly File on November 24 can be found below.
FNC’s The Kelly File
November 24, 2015
9:48 p.m. Eastern
MEGYN KELLY: I just want to jump in as we're seeing an extraordinary moment. Look what's happening here.
BERNARD KERIK: Well, listen you're going to have guys like this. You know, they want to instigate and create a —
RICHARD FOWLER: What is he instigating, Bernie? I'm sorry. I’ve got to interrupt
KELLY: But Richard, look at him. This is a cop out there accused of doing nothing wrong, trying to keep the peace
FOWLER: Having a silent protest with the police officer.
KELLY: He gets in his face and stairs him down. This cop hasn't done anything wrong.
FOWLER: But that is his First Amendment right, Megyn and you, of all people —
KELLY: To get in a cop's face and stare him down? That —
FOWLER: This is his first amendment right. I don't understand.
KELLY: You think that's fine? You have no problem with this?
FOWLER: This is his First Amendment right. The biggest problem here is —
KELLY: It's not a question of what his constitutional rights are. It's a question of what's appropriate.
FOWLER: And I see nothing wrong with this. I think what is inappropriate is this prosecutor took 13 months to prosecute this individual when this police officer had 18 different complaints against him from citizens of Chicago.
KELLY: Correct and no one here, as far as I can tell, is defending that officer. The question is whether it speaks to a greater narrative as some allege and this moment here.
