- The journalist is under investigation on charges related to leaked videos of ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson that circulated last spring.
- His lawyer denies his client’s involvement and states that the videos were accessible to the public at the time
- Last May, the FBI searched Burke’s Florida home shortly before Fox News was alerted that it may have been the victim of several cybercrimes.
Journalist Timothy Burke was indicted Thursday on charges of hacking. He is under investigation in connection with the publication of leaked videos of former Fox News heavyweight Tucker Carlson.
The unflattering videos surfaced online last spring, in the days after Carlson was unceremoniously ousted from the network where he had been the top host for years.
Burke’s attorney previously denied his client’s involvement, saying he “never hacked Fox News,” adding, “We are confident that when all the facts come to light, it will be shown that Timothy never hacked anyone and that all information he provided was accessible. for the public.’
The Washington Post’s Will Sommer broke the news Thursday, saying the arraignment is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Journalist Timothy Burke was federally indicted Thursday on charges related to the hacking of Fox News
Days after his ouster, unflattering videos of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson leaked online
Federal authorities searched Burke’s home last summer. The federal charge alleges conspiracy to commit hacking and is related to Burke’s access to unpublished footage from Fox News.
Burke’s attorney, Mark Rasch, told the Washington Post last year, “Tim is a master at finding links to things that are publicly posted on the Internet.”
“If a video is posted publicly, unencrypted and unprotected, there is simply no crime for a journalist like Tim to find, review and accurately report on the video, even where and perhaps especially where the subjects wish . oppressed. That is the essence of journalism in the digital age.’
The leaked images of Carlson included several steamy mic moments published by the left-wing watchdog group Media Matters.
In one segment, Carlson appeared to bash Dominion Voting Systems’ attorney, with whom he had deposed earlier in the day.
On the tape, he called the Dominion lawyer a “slimy little bastard” who “triggered” him.
Fox News would settle with Dominion for an eye-popping $787.5 million in an eleventh pre-trial deal.
In another video, Carlson says he hates Fox’s subscription service “Fox Nation” because “the site sucks.”
“No one watches Fox Nation because the site sucks,” he says into his phone, where he is talking to representatives of controversial internet personality Andrew Tate.
Burke has maintained his innocence. His attorney says the videos he had of Carlson were available to the public
Carlson wipes makeup off his face in a still from one of the videos shared online by Media Matters for America
In yet another video, Carlson talksasked about his appearance and said he would wait for his “postmenopausal fans” to tell him what he looked like on air.
He quietly said that someone’s “girlfriend was hot” and added, “Just kidding, just in case this gets pulled off the bird.” Hey, Media Matters for America, go fuck yourself! I don’t even know what his girlfriend looks like.
“And if I did, I wouldn’t like her.”
He then joked to an off-camera assistant, “I can never judge my appearance. I’m waiting for my post-menopausal fans to think about that.’
At the time, media allies of Carlson suggested that it was Fox who leaked the video as some sort of justification for the star’s firing.
But the network denied the accusation and sent Media Maters a strongly worded defamation letter.
