Abby Phillip Shuts Down Pro-Trump Guest After He Refers To Female Guest As ‘Dear’

Abby Phillip isn’t going to let patronizing language slide on her show.
On Wednesday’s episode of “CNN NewsNight,” the conversation got heated as the panel discussed the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use by Matt Gaetz — a former Florida congressman and President-elect Donald Trump’s initial pick for attorney general. (Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration of being the next attorney general Thursday.)
According to a short clip that’s gained attention on X, formerly Twitter, the panel on Phillip’s show was debating whether or not the House Ethics Committee should release its investigation.
“The bottom line is the DOJ said there’s nothing there,” said Bruce LeVell, the former executive director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump.
“No, they didn’t,” Julie Roginsky, a Democratic strategist, interjected. “They said they didn’t have enough to indict — that shouldn’t be the standard.”
“No, to charge, dear,” LeVell responded.
Immediately after being called “dear,” Roginsky looked visibly irritated.
“Dear? Excuse me?” she said, which elicited nervous laughter out of LeVell.
But before things could escalate, Phillip stepped in.
“Hold on, I’m going to stop it right here,” the show’s anchor said. “Because we’re not going to get off on a wrong foot. Please do not address a grown woman as ‘dear’ in a condescending tone. Do not do that at my table.”
“OK,” LeVell said, looking down and shuffling something on the table in front of him. Phillip then swiftly moved on by asking another guest for their thoughts.
On Thursday, Gaetz shared his reasons for his withdrawal.
“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote in a statement published to X.
Gaetz was investigated for allegations that he had sex with an unnamed 17-year-old girl, paid for her to travel with him over state lines and obstructed justice to conceal the relationship. This resulted in two separate investigations — one from the Justice Department and one from the House Ethics Committee. The DOJ told Gaetz last year that he would not be charged in connection to its yearslong probe.
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Gaetz resigned from Congress last week shortly after Trump nominated him for attorney general — which halted the House Ethics Committee’s investigation. Gaetz has denied all wrongdoings.
Before Gaetz withdrew his nomination, senators from both sides of the aisle argued that the House Ethics Committee should still release details from its probe since the former congressman was nominated for attorney general. Yet, the decision on whether to do so was deadlocked as of Wednesday.