Tim Burke, the journalist who leaked unaired Fox News videos of Tucker Carlson, has been arrested and indicted on 14 federal crimes for hacking Fox News and releasing the videos.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, “The indictment charges Burke with one count of conspiracy; six counts of accessing a protected computer without authorization; and seven counts of intercepting or disclosing wire, oral or electronic communications.”
Burke allegedly worked with an unnamed co-conspirator and used “compromised credentials” to break into the unaired broadcast streams featuring former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The two then shared the behind-the-scenes videos to an anonymous online source.
The clips released were intended to harm Carlson’s career and included clips of him talking about “flaming liberals” at Fox News, denouncing the use of pronouns, and making other unflattering remarks to staff. After the videos were released, however, Carlson remained as popular as ever.
Burke, known as a “progressive journalist,” previously worked for Deadspin and the Daily Beast before founding Burke Communications.
Run on progressive policies
Win on progressive policies
Enact progressive policies https://t.co/dBuPSKoALk— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 11, 2023
He is also the husband of far-left Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak who defended Burke in a statement after his arrest.
“I am confident in my husband’s innocence, and I support him completely,” Hurtak said. “I will not be making additional statements regarding this matter.”
Burke’s attorneys, Michael Maddux, and Mark Rasch, have both spoken up for their client’s innocence while also condemning computer hacking.
“It’s not hacking, it’s just good investigative journalism,” Maddux told the Times. “We obviously emphatically deny these charges and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to defend him and exonerate him.”
Burke also put out a written statement back in July to the Tampa Bay Times: “Finding and reporting on newsworthy content is not a crime, no matter who is embarrassed by the reporting.”
Prosecutors asked to hold Burke on a $30,000 bond and under the condition that he limit his access to certain computers and websites that require login information not directly issued to him. He was instead released on one condition, that he severed ties with his co-conspirator.
