Scottie Nell Hughes

Scottie Nell Hughes
Hughes in 2014
Born (1980-06-21) June 21, 1980 (age 44)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseChris Hughes
Children2

Scottie Nell Hughes (born 21 June 1980) is an American journalist, news anchor and political commentator who was employed by RT. She was a paid CNN commentator during the 2016 presidential election, often speaking in support of then-candidate Donald Trump.[1][2][3][4]

Hughes joined RT America as a full-time anchor in September 2018 and was the host of a daily news show News Views Hughes.[5] After losing the majority of its cable and satellite coverage following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, RT America ceased operations on March 3, 2022.[6]

Biography

Hughes graduated magna cum laude with a broadcast communications/political science degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin.[7] Her first network TV appearance was on CNN's Piers Morgan Live, where she defended the right to keep and bear arms; her brother Cliff had been shot and killed, before she was born.[8]

Hughes began her career as an executive producer on the Steve Gill Show in Nashville, Tennessee.[7] With an established radio career, she went on to take producing positions with The Rusty Humphries Show, The Michael Berry Show, The Mark Skoda Show, and many others. She also was in the first group of radio talk show hosts sent by the Department of Defense to travel to the front lines of Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Kuwait, as well as the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.[7] She was news director of the Tea Party News Network[9] and served as a political commentator for CNN until her contract expired in January 2017.[10]

On 18 September 2017, Hughes sued Fox News asserting she had been raped by Fox Business Network host Charles Payne. He denied the accusation, was suspended by the network pending an investigation into his conduct and, after the investigation was completed, was reinstated.[11] Hughes said her two-year sexual relationship with Payne was coerced and that she believed it would help her obtain a permanent position at the network.[12] Her appearances were drastically reduced after she ended the relationship in 2015 and reported Payne to Fox.[13] She sued Fox for retaliation for reduction of her appearances on Fox, which suit was settled with details unknown.[14]

She wrote the 2014 Roar: The New Conservative Woman Speaks Out.[9][15]

In a live interview broadcast on CNN the day before the 2016 presidential election, she confused the word "Molotov" with mazel tov, a Jewish expression of congratulations or good luck, when she stated that a video by rap music artist and Hillary Clinton supporter Jay-Z begins "with a crowd throwing mazel tov cocktails."[16]

References

  1. ^ Nuzzi, Olivia (October 19, 2016). "The Desperate Gamble of Scottie Nell Hughes, World's Most Loyal Trump Surrogate". GQ. ISSN 0016-6979. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  2. ^ Pennacchia, Robyn (December 2, 2016). "Trump Idiot Scottie Nell Hughes Says Facts Don't Exist". Wonkette. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  3. ^ Lee, Esther (April 4, 2016). "Trump Supporter Hurt by Cecily Strong's Impression of Her on 'SNL': 'Ultimate Shaming'". Us Weekly. ISSN 1529-7497. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  4. ^ Ellefson, Lindsey (July 5, 2016). "Scottie Nell Hughes Announces New Gig at CNN in Most Ostentatious Way Possible". Mediaite. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  5. ^ Barr, Jeremy (September 6, 2018). "Former CNN Contributor Scottie Nell Hughes Joins RT America as Anchor". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  6. ^ Darcy, Oliver (March 3, 2022). "RT America ceases productions and lays off most of its staff". CNN. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "BIO". Scottie Hughes. March 7, 2014. Archived from the original on November 24, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  8. ^ Schmitt, Brad. "Donald Trump stumper Scottie Nell Hughes' family tragedy". The Tennessean. ISSN 1053-6590. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Levine, Daniel S. (July 7, 2017). "Scottie Nell Hughes: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  10. ^ Concha, Joe (January 12, 2017). "Trump supporter Scottie Nell Hughes to part ways with CNN". The Hill. ISSN 1521-1568. OCLC 31153202. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  11. ^ Steel, Emily (September 19, 2017). "Woman Says Fox News Banned Her After She Accused Charles Payne of Rape". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  12. ^ Ali, Yashar (July 6, 2017). "Conservative Analyst Scottie Nell Hughes Accuses Fox Business Host of Sexual Harassment". HuffPost. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  13. ^ Battaglio, Stephen (July 6, 2017). "Fox suspends business news host Charles Payne amid sexual harassment allegations". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  14. ^ Gardner, Eriq (September 26, 2018). "Fox News Settles Retaliation Lawsuit From Scottie Nell Hughes". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021.
  15. ^ Hughes, Scottie Nell (2014). Roar: The New Conservative Woman Speaks Out. Worthy Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61795-467-2. LCCN 2014940725. OCLC 887107325 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ McMurry, Evan (November 7, 2016). "Donald Trump Supporter's 'Mazel Tov Cocktail' Comment Delights Twitter". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2017.