Why is Fox News so quiet about Jeanine Pirro's anti-Muslim remarks?

Jeanine Pirro is making trouble for her employer, that much is clear.

The host of Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News is off the air and allegedly suspended. After her weekly talk show didn't air on Saturday night, CNN reported Sunday, via "a source familiar with the matter," that the network has shut her down for some indeterminate amount of time.

SEE ALSO: 'Fox & Friends' apologizes for making it seem like Ruth Bader Ginsburg died

The move comes a week after Pirro opened her March 9 episode with some words for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At one point during the nearly 10-minute rant, Pirro fixated on Omar's hijab, a head covering worn by some Muslim women.

Pirro suggested that Omar's religious beliefs — the sum total of which are communicated by her decision to wear a hijab, in the Fox host's view — put her at odds with the U.S. Constitution. The blowback came swiftly.

As of March 12, at least four advertisers had fled, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Fox even made the rare move of issuing a statement: "We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro’s comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly."

That was all the network had to say on the matter, but eyebrows raised when Pirro's show didn't air on Saturday. Even Donald Trump himself noticed, spending some of his Sunday morning Executive Time on Twitter defending her.

Fox News would neither confirm nor deny any suspension or firing in CNN's report, nor did it say if she'd be back on March 23. (CNN's source did note that Pirro hasn't been fired, so take that for what it's worth.)

It's worth nothing: this whole song-and-dance with Fox News publicly disengaging while unconfirmed reports spring up around its internal decisions feels familiar. It reminds me of the news wildfire that took off in Nov. 2018 when the network suddenly stopped updating multiple Twitter accounts, including its main Fox News channel (which still has more than 18 million followers).

Much like what's happening now, everything we know comes from anonymous sources. Reporting at the time suggested that the sudden Twitter stoppage was a kind of silent protest. It was prompted after protesters who showed up at Fox News host Tucker Carlson's house posted his address on Twitter (an address that is publicly available, it's worth noting). The network reportedly felt that Twitter didn't move quickly enough to remove the offending tweets.

That's why the Fox News Twitter account has been silent since Nov. 8, or so unconfirmed reporting on the matter has stated. The network hasn't said a word on it publicly, but — if you believe the reports, most of which come from reputable news outlets — someone (or multiple someones) is/are obviously talking.

Now, we see a similar situation taking shape with Pirro. The news of actual repercussions is out there, but the network hasn't taken any public steps to explain its response outside of a vague condemnation.

Why should it? Think about it from the Fox News perspective. The majority of the network's viewers are aligned with Trump's view of the mainstream media as "fake news" and an "enemy of the people." They don't trust the media, but they do trust Fox.

That makes it risky for the network to act publicly in these situations, whether it's admitting to an act of protest or accepting responsibility for an embarrassing moment. The news is allowed to "leak" out to conventional media sources — the "fake news," to most Fox viewers — while the network itself says nothing, subtly reinforcing its viewers' doubts.

It's a real have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too move. The "leaks" handle the more traditional PR messaging to mainstream media while the silence sits fine with Fox News viewers who just want to see the network keep on owning the libs.

Here's what we know for sure, the actual, provable facts: Pirro's offensive comments about Omar and, more generally, Islamic beliefs cost her advertisers. Fox News came out against the rant with a vague "we have addressed the matter with her directly" promise, and then her show didn't air on Saturday. 

That may be the extent of Pirro's punishment for this transgression. Instead of getting mad about her seemingly light slap on the wrist, I'd urge you to consider the bigger picture here. 

Look at what Fox News is doing and how it operates in a post-Trump world. Take note when controversy springs up around the network and really think about who stands to benefit when inside sources give scoops to CNN, New York Magazine, or literally any mainstream media outlet not called Fox News.

WATCH: Twitter turned Fox News' coverage of the Manafort and Cohen trials into a hilarious meme

why do you hurt?

because you cannot hold freedom

the sky is only air. the ocean is only water. the only freedom you will ever have is breathing, drawing this air again & again & again & again. You have to exhale, and it costs you something - you have to quench your thirst and it comes back again - there is nothing solid in being free, it is not a status to be achieved but an action to do. Free is an active status, and you worry you'll somehow forget. there are people who would control you. there are orders you could obey. you keep coming back to take this next breath, your own part of the forever-freedom of the sky, but sometimes you think to hold your breath. it is deceptively peaceful underwater. you don't know if you would notice it if you started drowning.

tagged: yoinked from @parameddic tagging: anyone who wants to!

send a 🔪 to put a knife to my muse’s throat. || accepting

@idcnticxl

          "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy! I was only jokin'." Nathan held his hands up in surrender with a kind of casual amusement that didn't fit a man in his current position—backed against the railing outside the community centre, knife poised at his throat, and a very angry Nova Laurens glaring up at him.

          "I didn't mean to hit a nerve," he said, this time with a touch more sincerity. "Can you put the knife down now? I have a very beautiful neck and a low tolerance for pain."

valentine’s cliches

how many of the following does your muse appreciate on valentine’s day? bold for yes, strike for no, italicize for take it or leave it.

sexy lingerie l candy hearts l a huge bouquet of flowers l a single red rose l romantic dinner at home l romantic dinner at a restaurant l valentine cards l chocolate boxes l candles l rose petals l sex dice l sex cheques l wine l netflix & chill l romantic music l jewelry l cuddly toys l balloons l love notes l romantic movies l marriage proposals l perfume l cologne l chocolate covered strawberries l feeding each other l eating off of each other l day trip l weekend away l naughty texts l sappy social media posts l sharing a bath l sharing a jacuzzi l handmade gifts

tagged by: @tempportal​ (i’m a little late but thank you! :D)

tagging: anyone who’d like to!

TAG 9 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW BETTER !!

TAGGED BY: @lilxmcrtes (thank you, darlin!)

TAGGING: @flxtchcr, @tempportal, @itsybitsyparker, aaaaaand anyone else who’d like to

FAVORITE COLOR: Pink!

CURRENTLY READING: Dune by Frank Herbert

LAST SONG: Uhhh... I think it was probably Hayloft II by Mother Mother

LAST SERIES: Oof. I dunno. De.rry Girls?

LAST MOVIE: Mid.somma.r

SWEET / SPICY / SAVORY: Savory!

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: Learning to crochet! But I should be doing drafts.

what’s the first thing your muse noticed about mine? || accepting

the first thing connor noticed about nathan was probably. the way he knew exactly how to hold his hands to not be hurt by the cuffs/not to have them rubbing his wrists raw, actually. Experienced Handcuff-ee. - @detectiveconnor

          "So? I watch a lot of crime procedurals on TV. I know how not to do it."

          (He doesn't. Watch crime procedurals, that is.)

          "The only handcuff experience I have's the kinky kind." A beat. That isn't true either, but, "Well, 'cept that one time when I was unjustly arrested for eating Pick 'n' Mix."

          (Connor won't find record of it, ASBOs are non-permanent, but it was stealing Pick 'n' Mix. With a little assault and destruction of property sprinkled in. Usual stuff. Nathan thinks he's being believable. The fact of the matter is that outside of possible life-or-death, Nathan couldn't lie his way out of a paper bag.)

          "I'm telling you, hat bowling alley manager had it out for me, man."

          (That much, at least, is true.)

… when did Nathan get that soft, Italicized “oh”

THE LATE-NIGHT TALK

oh. you figure it out when you realize just how vulnerable they are willing to be with you. it isn't everybody who could or would stay up talking into the night with you, not with such affection or easy familiarity. it isn't everybody who is so understanding of you. it isn't everybody who could bare their soul to you in return. that kind of intimacy... it means deep foundations. it means comfort. it means trust. maybe it's a secret, maybe it's a story, maybe it's something you just never thought of before -- but they say something, late at night, and you realize all at once how remarkable they are, and how special it is to exist in the same time and space as them. "oh" indeed.

Stolen from: @exsanguinatedserenity​ Tagging: @detectiveconnor​ / @talktoten​, @idcnticxl​ (nova!), @tempportal​, @theseancekid​, @itsybitsyparker​, @bruadcr​ (charlotte?), and anyone else who would like to!

turn your muse into a cartoon! 

tagged by: no ooone, i stole it tagging: anyone who’d like to

Psychiatrist meme: and how did that make you feel?

on anon, be my muse’s psychiatrist and ask them questions! || x || always accepting

          “Euughhhh... I dunno. Hungry? Like, now, for instance, god, I could murder a hamburger... With melty cheese, tomatoes, onions... and a big, fat side of fried pickles. There’s an American bar in Dublin that does a fuckin’ amazing— Oh, sorry, what were we talking about? Do we get lunch breaks durin’ these things? I could do with a lunch break.”

what brand of stupid are you?

BASTARD STUPID

swears are your language and crime is your profession. your reason for doing just about anything is because you could, no matter how stupid it was. why did you set that fence on fire? to watch it burn. why did you put that bug in your mouth? to see what it tastes like. Why did you teach that kid to say fuck? it’s funny. keeping you around is like housing a cartoon villain but at least you know how to pick locks so that's a reason to let you stay.

tagged by: @tempportal​

tagging: @exsanguinatedserenity​, @fxckingmoran, @thunderbringer, @wiredcapability, @n0tdavid, aaaaand anyone who wants to!

mid-party starters || x || no longer accepting

"What do you mean with 'this isn't a costume party'?" - @theseancekid​

          “Did I say it was a costume party?” Nathan snickered. “No, no, I meant it was a, uhhh... a commune party! All these guys?” A gesture to what are very obviously college kids. “Ragin’ hippies, all of ‘em. Yeah. Christ!” The snickering turned into bright giggles as Nathan tugged at Klaus’ getup. “Where’d you even find this thing? What is this thing?”

What kind of doll would you be?

modern plastic doll. current, keyed in, always know what's going on, flexible. most likely to be stylish, possibly even trend-savvy. you got this result for choosing options that spoke of lightness and wit. you may like to live in light, humorous realms, and earnest expression may make you uncomfortable.

tagged by: nicked from @stoppeddancing​ tagging: @condomglitter, @conduitandconjurer, @griefgifted (rae!), @exsanguinatedserenity, aaaaaaand anyone else who’d like to!

BOLD ALL THAT APPLY TO YOUR MUSE, CHILDHOOD TRAUMA EDITION.

tw : mentions of abuse / neglect / death / trauma tagged by : stolen from @thehorsefrom​ and realizing how similar our muses are in terms of childhood oh no​ tagging :  @idcnticxl​ (curious about jenna’s!) but also @n0tdavid​, @caterva​ (griff?), aaaaaand anyone else who’d want to

scraped knees,  silent tears in a locked room ,  slamming doors ,  pervasive loneliness ,   a dog barking , rain on a metal roof ,   flinching at movement , the creak of an old house , forced laughter ,  wandering in the dark woods ,wondering how you made it through, sudden loss , trying to make sense of the noise ,  hiding what you love to protect it ,  trying to explain but your words falter , invaded privacy ,  confusion at the pain , running barefoot in the grass ,  wondering what you did wrong and coming up with nothing , realizing you aren’t a priority ,  grass stains on white clothing , trying to earn love you will never have , being threatened over the smallest mistake ,  secrets you are warned not to share , the feeling of never being good enough ,   the hope things might someday get better, grief that aches in your bones ,  childish dares and pranks , the sense that your body isn’t yours, shame and guilt that aren’t yours to carry ,  sledding down a frozen hill ,  absentmindedly following snakes through the grass ,  punching a tree until your knuckles bleed,  tears over every dead creature you find ,  searching out small places you can hide … just in case, climbing the tallest tree so they can’t touch you , the feeling of something tainted under your skin, a curious child told to stop asking ,  floral dresses ,  body tensing at approaching footsteps ,  anger with nowhere to go , brief escapes from the chaos ,  the purr of a contented cat ,  taking the blame to keep the peace ,  being told you’re too sensitive ,  the creaking springs of a trampoline on a sunny day

Mun vs. Muse(s) featuring: Nathan (immortalled), Ben (6horrors), and BJ (ofyorkshire); Simon (invisibellamy) is here in spirit but I really didn’t like how his came out.

stolen from: @gentlemnpirate <3 tagging: anyone who’d like to! be sure to tag me so i can see! i love these things

Get to Know the Mun!

REPOST DON’T REBLOG

———  BASICS! ♡

(PEN)NAME  :    spark

PRONOUNS  :    she / her

ZODIAC SIGN  :    gemini

TAKEN OR SINGLE  :    single 

———  THREE  FACTS! ♡

i once won a pig calling contest when i was like 5 or 6 years old. this is my one crowning achievement and (un?)fortunately somehow the thing people know me for in town. so, uhhh, call me if you need to find your pigs, i guess?

i saw a ufo once and in a separate event experienced something that some people might call “supernatural”. i’m certain there’s a logical explanation for both that don’t involve aliens or ghosts, but i’ve never seen or heard anything like them since.

i’m not sure i have any more interesting facts lmao so have a boring one: i’m terrible at whistling. i’m a one note wonder, and even then the stars have to be aligned just so hahaha

———  EXPERIENCE! ♡

mannnnn. i guess i’ve been roleplaying on various websites since i was maybe 9 or 10? it started on neopets, then expanded to 4kids forums, proboards, email, deviantart, and eventually here on tumblr. my first muse here was molly hooper from bbc sherlock, then i wrote the tenth doctor from doctor who for aaaages, several animated muses, a single edwardian era oc, a stupid number of vintage film/tv characters, a few characters from the mentalist, and now i seem to have entered my “robert sheehan era” in which i mostly write (yuh) robert sheehan characters pft. my condolences and endless gratitude to the mutuals who have followed me from blog to blog no matter what my heart decides to obsess over. y’all are the real mvps.

———  MUSE  PREFERENCE! ♡

i dunno if i have a muse type, but i do really love the misunderstood or tragic muses. i’m a sucker for angst, but i also just really love “rescuing” them. give me the pain, but also let me help them find their place in the world, y’know? and even if i can’t save them or give them a better life, writing them is still cathartic. the more damaged they are, the more solace i find in them. there’s just something about writing a traumatized character and seeing them through to the end that feels really empowering and encouraging regardless of whether or not that end is positive. i prefer it to be, but... yeah, it’s definitely the journey itself that i find the most comforting.

———  FLUFF / ANGST / SMUT! ♡    

FLUFF  :  i loooooove fluff. sometimes i can get a wee bit bored of it if it’s fluff without real emotional substance, or character development, but i do love it. sometimes you just want that tooth rotting sugary goodness.

ANGST  :  like i said, i love tragic characters, and angst is a very easy, good way to develop any muse. i think this is probably my favorite rp genre, provided that the characters involved get some small chance at comfort, too.

SMUT  :  i'll admit that i have grown to really love writing smut with the right partner lol. i don’t think i’m very good at it, and i’ll really only write it on discord, but for muses that are very sexual or who have a lot tied to sex or sexuality like nathan, it can be a good way to develop character. and that’s really what i’m after when i write smut; the emotion, or what could be learned about them or that relationship through sex. it’s pretty rare when i wanna write smut for the sake of writing smut... and usually only with partners i’ve been writing with for a very long time.

PLOT / MEMES  :   i suck at plotting. i don’t mind brainstorming, but i’m just as happy flying by the seat of my pants. throw stuff at me, man. memes are the way to go.

tagging  :  @caterva, @detectiveconnor, @idcnticxl, @conduitandconjurer, @mostincrediblechange, @lilxmcrtes​, @thehorsefrom​,  aaaand  anyone else who’d like to tagged  by  : @itsybitsyparker (thank you, my dear!!)

send 👶 to meet nathan as a child (feel free to specify age!) || x || no longer accepting

👶 (give me the CHILD) - @mostincrediblechange​

          “What’s that?” Nathan had crept up on the stranger, intending to watch from a distance, but curiosity always got the better of him, and at the first flicker of strange, blue light, he couldn’t help himself. He had to know what was going on. When the man turns, Nathan points.

          “Th’ pen or torch or whatever y’have there,” he says, and badly mimics the sonic’s warble. Nathan hasn’t quite figured out whistling yet. “What are you doing with it?” Then, before an answer can even begin to be formed, Nathan gasps, “Are you breaking in? Are you a robber?”

          It should be fear, most any seven year old would be at least a bit wary, but instead he just sounds excited.

          “What are you stealin’? Give me three euros and I won’t rat you out t’ the cops!”