‘The View’ reportedly issued 30 legal disclaimers in 2022 over on-air comments

ABC’s “The View” was reportedly forced to issue 36 legal notices this year over comments made by the show’s hosts. The notices clarified or corrected the statements.

Watchdog group NewsBusters found that many of the legal notices were read on-air in response to comments they made about right-wing and conservative figures. According to the watchdog, the hosts frequently downplayed the seriousness of their inaccurate comments.

“The View” hosts include Sunny Hostin, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

In one example cited, the hosts reportedly mocked Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The show was forced to issue five legal notices about Thomas after the hosts repeatedly implied that she was responsible for inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Hostin read the legal disclaimers and noted that Thomas has denied a conflict of interest between her public activism and her husband’s job, and has also denied organizing any groups at the Stop-The-Steal Rally.

However, Goldberg reportedly kept shouting over Hostin while she read the legal notes and again suggested that Ginni was guilty by saying things like “ya’ll know that’s not true.”

In another example, Behar claimed Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was responsible for the extremist beliefs held by the shooter in the Tops Friendly Markets mass shooting. Hostin later clarified on-air that Stefanik never pushed racist policy positions or theories.

But other hosts responded by groaning and with Behar saying “Oh, please!” Co-host Ana Navarro added: “It’s in writing.”

According to the watchdog group, the hosts also mocked Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz after he was accused of sexual misconduct. When Hostin read a legal notice clarifying that Gaetz had not been found guilty of any wrongdoing, Goldberg reportedly began to beatbox.