Fox News host agrees that Black Panthers somehow caused Zimmerman trial

Fox News guest J. Christian Adams, a right-wing blogger and author who previously worked for the Department of Justice and contributes to Pajamas Media and Breitbart, claimed on Monday morning that the New Black Panthers, and not the body of a teen killed by a gunshot wound, were secretly the real “spark” that kicked off George Zimmerman’s murder trial.

Adams told Congress in April (PDF) that the Obama administration relied upon racial biases when considering a voter intimidation charge against a member of the New Black Panthers who was filmed standing outside a Philadelphia polling place in 2008. Nothing ever came of the incident -- even top Republicans began mocking the notion of Obama protecting the New Black Panthers -- but Fox News keeps trying to revive it for some reason.

Appearing Monday, Adams continued pushing that narrative, telling the hosts of "Fox & Friends" that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has "teamed up with the New Black Panthers" to lobby for civil rights charges against Zimmerman. Adams added that he's certain the Zimmerman murder trial would not have taken place if it weren't for the little known, fringe political group.

"I have a piece at Breitbart today that shows how the New Black Panthers were the spark behind the whole Zimmerman investigation," he insisted. Amazingly, Fox News host Steve Doocy agreed, seeming riveted by the claim and pressing for more information. "Mr. Adams, why does it seem the Department of Justice is taking their marching orders from the New Black Panther Party?" Doocy asked.

"This is part of a radical, racial agenda that Eric Holder has implemented since he took office," Adams said, citing the 2008 video of a black activist standing in a public place and the attorney general's attempts to enforce provisions of The Voting Rights Act against historically racist jurisdictions, among others.

"This is just one, a couple of, many, many examples of this radical racialism that this Justice Department has pursued," Adams said. "I think the FBI will tell the lawyers that, no, there's no evidence of racial intent. I think the criminal section of the civil rights division will be reluctant to pursue charges."

"The big question is, will Eric Holder overrule them as he has in other instances because of a political agenda, a racial agenda," he continued. "Will he listen to the Black Panthers? Or will he listen to the FBI? In the past he's listened to the radicals. This one might be so incendiary that he won't touch it. We'll just have to wait and see."

This video is from "Fox & Friends," aired Monday, July 15, 2013, clipped by liberal watchdog group Media Matters.