CNN announced Sunday that former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has joined the news network as a contributor.
CNN host Jake Tapper revealed on his State of the Union program that Duffy had joined the network, saying, “Let’s bring in new CNN contributor, commentator and former congressman Sean Duffy. Thank you for being here and congratulations on joining the CNN family.”
In his first appearance, Duffy defended President Trump for raising the prospect that Ukraine could have more information on the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) email server, which was hacked in 2016.
“We spent two years on a Russian investigation, right,” he stated. “And Democrats and the media were all about what happened in the 2016 election. What Mick Mulvaney said… let’s get the server, the DNC server that had everything to do with the Russia investigation.”
Duffy announced his retirement from Congress in August to spend more time with his family; his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy, a Fox News contributor, delivered their ninth child in the fall.
“Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition,” Duffy said in a Facebook post at the time. “With much prayer, I have decided that this is the right time for me to take a break from public service in order to be the support my wife, baby and family need right now. It is not an easy decision – because I truly love being your Congressman – but it is the right decision for my family, which is my first love and responsibility.”
The lawmaker stepped down from his seat on September 23rd.
Duffy, who represented Wisconsin’s 7th district since 2011, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Senate or governor in 2022.