Conservative commentator Candace Owens has spent years spewing inflammatory rhetoric. From essentially blaming George Floyd for his own death to labeling Black Lives Matter a “terrorist” organization to befriending Kanye West and endorsing his antisemitic mumblings, the pundit knows what keeps her name in headlines.
Her latest move — in true Candace Owens fashion — is one of her most shocking yet: defending Harvey Weinstein. Ahead of his April 15 rape trial in New York, Owens said on a Feb. 27 livestream that while she considers Weinstein an “immoral man,” he has also fallen victim to the criminal justice system.
“I’ve always had faith in our court system and now that’s beginning to change. Now I’m beginning to wonder if our courtrooms have been politicized,” she said, per The Hollywood Reporter. Last year, the New York state Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s previous conviction.
The appeals court cited improper rulings by the trial judge which had prejudiced him as a defendant. It also stated in its ruling that women were allowed to testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case. On her livestream, Owens claimed that Weinstein asked about her relationship with Kanye West.
“I suddenly felt like I was trying out for the cheerleading team,” Owens stated. Since 2017, Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 70 women, according to The Guardian. His spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement that Owens’ support will ultimately help his client.
“Ms. Owens’ intent is to contribute to the ongoing discourse by presenting some of that additional information that, to date, media have not felt need enough to share with the public,” Engelmayer said.
“Mr. Weinstein hopes for a truly objective examination of his cases — one that fairly considers his accusers, the prevailing narratives, and crucial facts that have frequently been overlooked in the rush to report since this ordeal began.”
Owens, who worked for Ben Shapiro’s conservative media company The Daily Wire, was let go last year after making a slew of antisemitic remarks, per CNN.