Blogger Who Allegedly Hacked Fox News, Leaked Tucker Carlson Footage Arrested

Leftist blogger Timony Burke has been charged with 14 crimes in connection with his alleged hacking of Fox News’ systems to obtain unaired footage of then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which he then made public in an effort to smear Carlson.

Burke was arrested by federal law enforcement on Thursday. It was alleged in the federal indictment that the leftist blogger worked with an unnamed co-conspirator to hack Fox News’ systems and leak footage of Carlson that was supposed to be damaging to his career. In May 2023, FBI agents reportedly seized computers and other electronic devices during a raid of Burke’s home — which he shares with his wife, far-Left Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak — that showed Burke and an unnamed person had used “compromised credentials” to access and obtain protected commercial videos and leak them anonymously.

Burke “played multiple roles in the conspiracy, including utilizing compromised credentials to gain unauthorized access to protected computers, scouring those protected computers for electronic items and information, obtaining and stealing electronic items and information deemed desirable, organizing and exploiting some of those electronic items and information, and intercepting and disclosing the contents of wire, oral, and/or electronic video communications,” the indictment read.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, “The indictment also accuses Burke of accessing a file transfer protocol server for ‘one of the major sports leagues in North America.’ In a direct Twitter message included in the indictment, Burke’s alleged co-conspirator described the server as the main location ‘for all of their footage they post to social, send to partners, etc.’”

While Burke was attempting to derail Carlson’s career with the release of the footage, the clips only appeared to make the now-independent journalist’s fans love him even more. One popular clip from the leaked footage showed Carlson condemning Fox News for hiring leftists and using made-up pronouns in news broadcasts.

“If you’ve got pronouns in your Twitter bio, you shouldn’t work here because we can’t trust you because you’re on the other side,” he said.

Burke, who previously worked at far-left outlets like Deadspin and the Daily Beast, now runs his own media and political consulting firm.

He has been charged with one count of conspiracy; six counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization; five counts of intentional interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication; and two counts of intentionally disclosing illegally intercepted wire, oral, and electronic communication.

Meanwhile, Burke’s attorney Michael Maddux has claimed that his client did not take part in any hacking — arguing that his actions were just constitutionally protected digital journalism.

“It’s not hacking, it’s just good investigative journalism,” Maddux told reporters before entering court on Thursday. “We obviously emphatically deny these charges and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to defend him and exonerate him.”

Maddux and Burke’s other attorney, Mark Rasch, also issued a statement about the case.

“While we, like anyone else, condemn computer hacking, we emphatically insist that the facts of this case will demonstrate that there was, in fact, no hacking whatsoever,” the attorneys said in a statement. “This case will have a significant impact on how people in general access and use the Internet, how they use shared passwords to access websites, and how online journalism is conducted.”

Burke’s wife also vehemently denied her husband’s guilt in the matter.

“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.”