But on Monday, the company went offline entirely.
“After further review, we have decided not to broadcast the interview with Dr. Mikovits,” a Sinclair spokesperson told CNN Business in a statement. “Although the segment included an expert to contest Dr. Mikovits, given the nature of the theories he presented, we believe it is not appropriate to broadcast the interview.”
“We also reiterate our appreciation for all that Dr. Fauci and his team have accomplished for the health and well-being of Americans and people around the world,” added Sinclair’s spokesman. “During this pandemic, Sinclair and his affiliates have featured Dr. Fauci positively and prominently on the air, including interviews with our stations and our network, Stadium. There remains an open invitation for Dr. Fauci to appear on our stations anytime”.
On Monday afternoon, when asked for comment on Sinclair’s decision, Larry Klayman, a Mikovits lawyer, responded in an email reiterating legal threats against CNN for his report. Previously, Klayman said he defended what his client said on the Bolling show. CNN supports their reports.
The video for the segment was posted on Sinclair’s local websites last week ahead of its scheduled broadcast over the weekend. Since then, the videos have been removed and people trying to access them on local Sinclair websites encounter error pages.
The segment sparked huge controversy after CNN Business reported it on Friday night. Local stations across the country began receiving complaints from viewers who asked not to broadcast the segment, people working at Sinclair stations told CNN Business on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on public.
Sinclair initially defended airing the segment in a series of tweets on Saturday morning, saying he did not endorse the conspiracy theory, but instead vowed to provide his audience with diverse views.
But on Saturday afternoon he told the stations to wait to air the episode that included the segment. The company also emphasized that it never planned to stream the “Plandemic” video, a widely discredited short film that went viral earlier this year and was banned on platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Bolling had previously endorsed the segment, telling CNN Business that he also did not endorse the conspiracy theory, but that he felt comfortable airing it because in one segment after the interview with Mikovits he spoke to a doctor who rejected the notion that Fauci was responsible for the virus.
In a statement provided to CNN Business on Saturday afternoon, Bolling said he “has always welcomed all views” on his show, but that he was “caught off guard” by Mikovits’ claims.
“I recognize that this segment needs to be modified to provide better context, and as such we are delaying the episode’s broadcast for a week,” Bolling said. “Let me also add that I have immense respect for Dr. Fauci and recognize him as the leading expert on this topic. For the past two months, I have always looked for the opportunity to bring Dr. Fauci on the air so that he can provide information to the public. about the virus. The invitation is kept. “
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