Joy Behar suggests political conspiracy over expected Rust charges: 'Alec Baldwin is a target for Republicans'

The View cohost Joy Behar has suggested she believes there could be a political conspiracy tied to forthcoming involuntary manslaughter charges brought against Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, after the liberal actor and the crew member were involved in the October 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie Rust.

The talk show's panel got into a heated discussion on the topic at the top of Friday's episode, which Behar — filling in as moderator in Whoopi Goldberg's absence — kicked off by inquiring about shared responsibility on the production, which saw a firearm discharge on the set of the Western film, injuring director Joel Souza and fatally wounding Hutchins. Behar later introduced political stances as a potential factor in the case.

"Also, you know, the DA who is indicting him, or whatever the legal term is right now, she's a big Republican. I'm only saying this because Alec Baldwin is a target for Republicans. They can't stand him. I'm not saying anything more than that," Behar said. When the show returned from a commercial break, she corrected herself. "Clarification [on] something I said last segment. It's the special prosecutor [Andrea Reeb] who's now the Republican politician in New Mexico, and not the current DA. I get them mixed up sometimes. So, sue me," she joked.

EW has reached out to Reeb for comment.

ABC; Mike Coppola/Getty Images Joy Behar suggests political conspiracy after Alec Baldwin 'Rust' charges.

The 80-year-old's quotes came after the ladies engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth on the topic, also referencing Baldwin's assertion that he did not pull the trigger that fired the weapon that killed Hutchins.

"There were four other producers on the show who have not been charged on the movie. Why? That's one question I have. He was a producer of story credit, so he had creative involvement, not exactly the job of somebody who would have to check the gun. That's the job of other people," Behar said at the start of the conversation. "As a person who's been in a couple of movies, all you're thinking of is your part when you're an actor. I wasn't worried that my brazier is going to fall off me or whatever, somebody else has to worry about that. You're interested in your lines and your character and where am I now and where was I two minutes ago. That's it, so, I don't really understand what this is about."

Conservative cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out that the key factor in the expected charges is the implication of "a bunch of steps of negligence" on the movie, and that she feels Baldwin holds some responsibility "as the actor who pulled the trigger."

Panelist Sara Haines added that, while Hutchins' life was "lost way too soon" in the tragedy, her "heart does go out to Alec Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria, because they have eight kids right now at home," and feels for them having to "live with this every day."

"The part that frustrates me as a viewer watching this all play out is the armorist [whom Baldwin eventually sued], because this was someone, when you read up on the story, she was young, maybe a little under-qualified," Haines said. "To be in charge of lethal weapons on a set is a big responsibility, and to know first and foremost regardless of who thought it was cold gun — the actor, the director, the producers on the show — it's literally your job's definition to be responsible for these lethal weapons."

Behar then interrupted Haines: "But it is not the actor's job. Why is it the actor? Wait a minute, so someone hands you, the actor, someone says, 'Here's a cold gun, I'm the armorer,' whatever they do, and you're supposed to know to check it again? How? What are you supposed to do?"

Ana Navarro stressed that, throughout the investigation, other actors had been interviewed about gun safety on set, and "most do" check their weapons for ammunition again.

Courtesy of Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office; Fred Hayes/Getty Images The Santa Fe District Attorney has announced a decision in the 'Rust' investigation.

"This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice," Baldwin's attorney, Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel, said in a statement provided to EW on Thursday. "Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win."

Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed's legal representative, also released a statement.

"Hannah is, and has always been, very emotional and sad about this tragic accident. But she did not commit involuntary manslaughter," Bowles said. "These charges are the result of a very flawed investigation, and an inaccurate understanding of the full facts. We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury."

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