Hugh Hewitt leaves Washington Post after leaving broadcast

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt has resigned from the Washington Post after an altercation with two of the paper’s liberal columnists during a live talk show on Friday. He called it “the most dishonest election ad I have ever been a part of.”

Hewitt stormed off the set during the online show “First Look” with Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus, claiming former President Donald Trump was “laying the groundwork” to contest Tuesday’s election if he loses.

After being cut off by Capehart, an MSNBC host, and then accused by him of spreading misinformation, Hewitt ripped out his earpiece and said, “I’m done.” This is the most dishonest election ad I have ever been a part of.”

Hewitt, a national radio show host, subsequently left the newspaper, which was roiled by owner Jeff Bezos’ decision to end a show of support for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Since 2017, he has written hundreds of columns for the Washington Post.

Two sources familiar with Hewitt’s departure first announced it to The New York Post.

“I did quit the Post, but I only wrote a column for them every six weeks,” Hewitt later told Fox News Digital.

The New York Post has reached out to WashPo for comment.

Friday’s outburst came during a discussion about a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, where a judge agreed to a request to expand in-person voting in Bucks County.

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee successfully requested a deadline extension after several people who were online for mail-in ballots were turned away Tuesday after the 5 p.m. cutoff date.

“Is it just me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for contesting the election,” Capehart asked Marcus.

“By alleging fraud but suing Bucks County (Pennsylvania) for alleged irregularities.”

Marcus responded that Trump has been “laying the groundwork” to contest the election for months.

Hewitt then tried to speak and said, “Jonathan, I have to say something.”

“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” Capehart shot back.

After waiting his turn, Hewitt noted that this was news that needed to be reported.

“Bucks County was overturned by the court and ordered to open additional days because they were breaking the law and telling people to go home,” he said.

Hewitt also mentioned the recent Supreme Court ruling that supported Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s decision to remove 1,600 people from the voter rolls.

“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story when we bring up part of the story. So yes, he is angry about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story,” Hewitt said.

After a brief pause, Capehart told Hewitt, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, you often come here and say a lot of things that aren’t based on facts.”

The accusation infuriated Hewitt.

“I’m not coming back, Jonathan, I’m done,” he said. “You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done.”

Conservative media stars praised the veteran radio host and pundit for standing up to Capehart’s bullying.

“BRAVO @hughhewitt! Factual, down-to-earth, courageous and appropriately ENGAGED with these left-wing hackers masquerading as journalists,” beamed fellow conservative radio host Megyn Kelly.

The heated exchange comes amid turmoil at the Beltway newspaper, which includes the firing of three opinion editors over the paper’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in 36 years.

Bezos warned in an Oct. 28 op-ed that the newspaper’s staff was “increasingly” willing to “talk only to a certain elite,” rather than the broader American public.

“More and more we are talking to ourselves,” Bezos wrote. “It hasn’t always been that way; in the 1990s, we achieved 80 percent household penetration in the DC metro area.”

The publication has reportedly had 250,000 readers cancel their digital subscriptions in protest.