USAA reverses ‘Hannity’ course after conservatives fight back

“The USAA financial services firm says it is reinstating its advertising on Sean Hannity’s Fox News Channel program after receiving heavy criticism from many of the military members and veterans that it serves,” the AP reports. It will also begin ads again on other opinion programs where it had suspended ads, including “Hardball” and “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC, and Jake Tapper’s “The Lead” on CNN.

Last week, USAA and several other companies succumbed to a liberal boycott campaign led by Media Matters to drop their advertising from Hannity’s program.

Media Matters posted a list of Hannity’s advertisers on its website, labeling Hannity “a professional propagandist for President Donald Trump, as well as a bigot, a sexist, and a conspiracy theorist.” Liberal activists followed Media Matters’ lead and waged an astroturf campaign to get these companies to drop ads on Hannity’s show.

When they began doing so, there was backlash from conservatives in support of Hannity. Dan Bongino, Conservative Review contributing editor and host of “The Renegade Republican” podcast, helped lend an influential voice to boycott USAA until it reinstated its advertising on Hannity’s Fox News program.

The public pressure on USAA first gained traction and nationwide support after Brent Bozell, president of the media watchdog Media Research Center, released a harshly worded statement condemning USAA’s perceived betrayal of Hannity.

“For decades, Sean Hannity has been a fierce supporter of the military at every turn. And this is how you treat him?” Bozell wrote last week. 

Hannity spends his career supporting military vets. @USAA needs military clients & then pulls ads from Hannity?This only makes sense to libs

— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 25, 2017

Cancelled my @USAA auto insurance after 18 years thanks to the clowns at @mmfa and their clueless leader @GoAngelo

— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 28, 2017

Pro-Tip for corporate America:Boycotting American conservatives is only a successful business model if you admire the creators of "New Coke"

— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 26, 2017

Bongino’s call to action went viral over the weekend, and as of Tuesday it seems to have worked. 

Please support them, they are returning to my show @USAA - https://t.co/9DIZcRliGk

— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) May 30, 2017

Fight back, always. It matters. ???????? https://t.co/rH2ttLCZan

— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 30, 2017

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