Fox News Says L'Italien Posed As Arizona Lawmaker To Get On Air

ANDOVER, MA -- Officials at Fox News issued a statement Monday afternoon saying that State Sen. Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover) did not identify herself to producers, who thought she was Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ). Producers had booked Kirkpatrick on its Fox and Friends morning show as a Democratic lawmaker who was reportedly booed for supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a recent public appearance.

Fox said it had booked Kirkpatrick with her press contact, who confirmed the appearance on the segment by email. But when the segment started, it was L'Italien who appeared on camera in front of Kirkpatrick's campaign logo.

"Despite speaking to producers prior to the interview, L’Italien did not identify herself as anything other than Kirkpatrick until she was live on air, at which point we ended the interview," Desiree Dunne, Executive Producer of Fox & Friends First, said in a statement.

The aide Fox spoke to is named Joe Katz. While he now works for L'Italien, he reportedly worked for Kirkpatrick several years ago. L'Italien is in the crowded race to replace Rep. Nikki Tsongas (D-Lowell) in Congress. Tsongas has announced she would not seek reelection. Her campaign issued a release shortly after the segment aired.

"I’m actually here to speak directly to Donald Trump," L'Italien said on air as the two hosts looked on, visibly confused. "I feel that what’s happening at the border is wrong. I’m a mother of four, and I believe that separating kids from their parents is illegal and inhumane. I’m actually Barbara L’Italien, I’m a state senator representing a large immigrant community and running for Congress in Massachusetts."

Host Jillian Mele attempted to rebut L'Italien's points, claiming families had been reunited at the border, then cut L'Italien off the air. "That didn’t go as planned," Mele said.

In a post on Twitter, Mele's co-host Rob Schmitt claimed L'Italien's campaign had lied to get the candidate on air.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).