CNN is calling Fox News out for continuing to push the debunked conspiracy theory that DNC staffer Seth Rich was murdered over a connection to Wikileaks.

Newt Gingrich was the latest to peddle the Rich conspiracy over the Fox News airwaves, carrying the torch from both Hannity and Fox & Friends — both of which have devoted numerous segments to the Rich story. Appearing on Fox & Friends Sunday, the former House speaker said:

We have this very strange story now of this young man who worked for the Democratic National Committee, who apparently was assassinated at 4 in the morning, having given WikiLeaks something like 53,000 emails and 17,000 attachments. Nobody’s investigating that, and what does that tell you about what’s going on? Because it turns out, it wasn’t the Russians. It was this young guy who, I suspect, was disgusted by the corruption of the Democratic National Committee. He’s been killed, and apparently nothing serious has been done to investigative his murder.

Monday on CNN, anchor Brooke Baldwin and senior media reporter Oliver Darcy––who has been all over this story––took on Fox News for their role in continuing to fan the flames on the debunked conspiracy theory.

RELATED: What the Hell is Going on with Sean Hannity and the Nutty Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory?!

“There’s no evidence suggesting that this DNC staffer had been in contact with Wikileaks,” Darcy said. “There’s zero evidence. What Newt Gingrich is saying is just flat-out not true.”

The theory gained momentum after WTTG, Washington’s Fox affiliate, reported that Rod Wheeler — a private investigator hired by the Rich family — claimed to have FBI sources touting evidence of a Seth Rich-Wikileaks connection. But Wheeler backed off that claim, and WTTG amended their report.

“We contacted [Wheeler] and he admitted he had no such evidence,” Darcy said. “The local Fox affiliate ended up putting an editor’s note saying he’s retracted the statements. The problem is by the time that happened, it’s run wild in conservative media… and it’s taken on a life of its own.”

You can watch the segment above (as well as Gingrich’s comments on Fox News yesterday), via CNN.

[featured image via screengrab]

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