Fox News’ Martha MacCallum hosted three women who voted for Trump in 2016 on her Thursday night show, but she did not disclose that one of the women featured was a former staffer to Republican Senator Rick Santorum.

The woman, Lauren Debellis Appell, was described as a “suburban mom” and “writer” and identified as a “Virginia voter” on screen at the beginning of the segment. MacCallum also briefly mentioned a “piece” that Appell had written without providing any more context, before asking her to explain why she was “not really in sync with a lot of your neighbors?”

That “piece” in question was an op-ed published in USA Today on Tuesday that was entitled: “My ‘suburban mom’ demographic is supposedly all in for Biden. But I’m voting for Trump.” In that column, Appell likewise never mentioned her past work for the Republican Party in that op-ed, but in the biography line at the end of the piece, USA Today noted: “[Appell] was a former communications aide to Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and the Senate Republican Policy Committee.”

Appell’s responses to MacCallum also did not include any inkling she once worked for the Republican Party of a staunchly conservative U.S. senator.

“I’m not here to tell anyone how to vote, but for me it’s never been about personality, it’s always been about policies,” Appell said, before launching into an almost word-for-word recitation of Trump campaign talking point that “President Trump has done more in the last three-and-a-half years than Joe Biden has done in the last 47 years.”

“When you look at it through that lens, it’s a no-brainer,” she concluded moments later. “Donald Trump is a clear choice for me.”

After the other two women voters weighed in, using noticeably less polished rhetoric about why they have grown disappointed with Trump and will be voting for Biden, MacCallum turned back to Appell with a vague cue to wrap up the segment.

“Okay, Lauren, final thought? Based on what you’ve heard here,” MacCallum said.

“Joe Biden had 47 years to get something done and he’s gotten absolutely nothing done,” Appell repeated, before using one of Trump’s false claims about Biden from the first presidential debate. “If you look at public safety right now, he can’t even say the words ‘law and order.’ Donald Trump has gotten the endorsement of police organizations throughout the country, endorsements that historically they haven’t endorsed anyone and, if they do, it’s always been a Democrat because they know that he is the one that has their back right now. Look at all the rioting and looting going on.”

“Donald Trump is in there” as president right now, one of the other women pointed out, interrupting Appell. “The rioting and looting is because of Donald Trump in America.”

“And all of these Democrat cities because they won’t put a stop to it,” Appell shot back. “That’s the problem right now.”

MacCallum then broke in and ended the segment, without ever alerting Fox News viewers of Appell’s past working directly for Republican politicians.

When reached for comment about the lack of disclosure about Appell, a Fox News representative said: “Martha opened the panel by explaining these were three suburban women who voted for Trump in 2016, this was not a ‘normal woman voter’ panel so would hope that is clear. They were never presented as undecided voters.”

Watch the video above, via Fox News.

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/3kHTeNo