Don't shoot the messenger

Don't shoot the messenger is a phrase, often used as a disclaimer, meant to save the person who is breaking bad or unpleasant news from incurring the wrath of the people he/she is giving the news to. It is meant to direct the unpleasant reaction to the message away from the one breaking the news. A variation of this phrase is kill the messenger or shoot the messenger in which the bearer of bad news takes the blame for the message and has to put up with some kind of negative outcome.