Media Misidentify Embattled GOPers as Dems and Issue No Explicit Correction

Media Matters for America today documented how Fox News and the Associated Press incorrectly identified former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) as a Democrat and failed to make explicit on-air or in-print corrections.

In addition, other media outlets have misidentified Rep. Daniel Crane (R-IL), who was censured by Congress in 1983 for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old page, and Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), during a poll showing Chafee trailing his Democratic challenger Sheldon Whithouse by 11 points, as Democrats. Whitehouse was also misidentified as a Republican.

Although most of these errors have been corrected, several news shows, including Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, have not made corrections on air or in print.

Instances of Misidentification:

Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor: On the 8 p.m. ET October 3^rd edition of the show, onscreen texts in two segments labeled Foley as a Democrat. During the 11 p.m. ET edition, no onscreen text appeared to identify Foley.

Associated Press: An October 4 AP article reportedly identified Foley as "former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, D-Florida." As of about an hour after journalist Joshua Micah Marshall broke the story, the version of the AP article he cited had been changed. The AP, according to a correction notice on the website of the Denver CBS affiliate, issued a formal correction three hours after the story first appeared. However, many sites have not published the AP's correction with their revised articles.

CNN.com: In an October 6 article incorrectly identified Crane as a Democrat, CNN.com originally stated that a reference to "similar scandals in the 1980s" in Rep. Joe Barton's (R-TX) letter supporting House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) "referr[ed] to Democratic Reps. Gerry Studds of Massachusetts and Dan Crane of Illinois, both of whom were censured after having sexual relationships with 17-year-old pages." Even though CNN.com corrected the mistake, apparently in response to a reader who pointed out the error, the current version of the article contains no indication that a correction occurred.

Fox News' The Beltway Boys: On the October 7^th 6 p.m. edition of the show, while discussing a poll on the Rhode Island Senate race, the onscreen display of the results identified Whitehouse as "(R)," while labeling Chafee as a Democrat. The same error appeared in all five editions of the The Beltway Boys that aired on October 7, 8 and 9.

To see screen captures of the errors and for more information, CLICK HERE

Background: Members of the House & Senate

To aid members of the media, Media Matters for America has included the following directory that properly identifies Members of Congress by name, state, district and party.

Former Members

Randy 'Duke' Cunningham (CA-50-R) Resigned, Convicted
Tom DeLay (TX-22-R) Resigned, Indicted
Mark Foley (FL-16-R) Resigned

Current House Members

Neil Abercrombie (HI-1-D)
Gary Ackerman (NY-5-D)
Robert Aderholt (AL-4-R)
Todd Akin (MO-2-R)
Rodney Alexander (LA-5-R)
Thomas Allen (ME-1-D)
Robert Andrews (NJ-1-D)
Joe Baca (CA-43-D)
Spencer Bachus (AL-6-R)
Brian Baird (WA-3-D)
Richard Baker (LA-6-R)
Tammy Baldwin (WI-2-D)
J. Barrett (SC-3-R)
John Barrow (GA-12-D)
Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6-R)
Joe Barton (TX-6-R)
Charles Bass (NH-2-R)
Melissa Bean (IL-8-D)
Bob Beauprez (CO-7-R)
Xavier Becerra (CA-31-D)
Shelley Berkley (NV-1-D)
Howard Berman (CA-28-D)
Marion Berry (AR-1-D)
Judith Biggert (IL-13-R)
Brian Bilbray (CA-50-R)
Michael Bilirakis (FL-9-R)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2-D)
Timothy Bishop (NY-1-D)
Rob Bishop (UT-1-R)
Marsha Blackburn (TN-7-R)
Earl Blumenauer (OR-3-D)
Roy Blunt (MO-7-R)
Sherwood Boehlert (NY-24-R)
John Boehner (OH-8-R)
Henry Bonilla (TX-23-R)
Jo Bonner (AL-1-R)
Mary Bono (CA-45-R)
John Boozman (AR-3-R)
Dan Boren (OK-2-D)
Leonard Boswell (IA-3-D)
Rick Boucher (VA-9-D)
Charles Boustany (LA-7-R)
Allen Boyd (FL-2-D)
Jeb Bradley (NH-1-R)
Kevin Brady (TX-8-R)
Robert Brady (PA-1-D)
Corrine Brown (FL-3-D)
Sherrod Brown (OH-13-D)
Henry Brown (SC-1-R)
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-5-R)
Michael Burgess (TX-26-R)
Dan Burton (IN-5-R)
G.K. Butterfield (NC-1-D)
Steve Buyer (IN-4-R)
Ken Calvert (CA-44-R)
Dave Camp (MI-4-R)
John Campbell (CA-48-R)
Chris Cannon (UT-3-R)
Eric Cantor (VA-7-R)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV-2-R)
Lois Capps (CA-23-D)
Michael Capuano (MA-8-D)
Ben Cardin (MD-3-D)
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18-D)
Russ Carnahan (MO-3-D)
Julia Carson (IN-7-D)
John Carter (TX-31-R)
Ed Case (HI-2-D)
Michael Castle (DE-AL-R)
Steve Chabot (OH-1-R)
Ben Chandler (KY-6-D)
Chris Chocola (IN-2-R)
William Clay (MO-1-D)
Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5-D)
James Clyburn (SC-6-D)
Howard Coble (NC-6-R)
Tom Cole (OK-4-R)
Michael Conaway (TX-11-R)
John Conyers (MI-14-D)
Jim Cooper (TN-5-D)
Jim Costa (CA-20-D)
Jerry Costello (IL-12-D)
Bud Cramer (AL-5-D)
Ander Crenshaw (FL-4-R)
Joseph Crowley (NY-7-D)
Barbara Cubin (WY-AL-R)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28-D)
John Culberson (TX-7-R)
Elijah Cummings (MD-7-D)
Tom Davis (VA-11-R)
Artur Davis (AL-7-D)
Susan Davis (CA-53-D)
Jim Davis (FL-11-D)
Danny Davis (IL-7-D)
Geoff Davis (KY-4-R)
Lincoln Davis (TN-4-D)
Jo Ann Davis (VA-1-R)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4-D)
Diana DeGette (CO-1-D)
Rosa DeLauro (CT-3-D)
Nathan Deal (GA-10-R)
William Delahunt (MA-10-D)
Charles Dent (PA-15-R)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21-R)
Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25-R)
Norman Dicks (WA-6-D)
John Dingell (MI-15-D)
Lloyd Doggett (TX-25-D)
John Doolittle (CA-4-R)
Michael Doyle (PA-14-D)
Thelma Drake (VA-2-R)
David Dreier (CA-26-R)
John 'Jimmy' Duncan (TN-2-R)
Chet Edwards (TX-17-D)
Vernon Ehlers (MI-3-R)
Rahm Emanuel (IL-5-D)
Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8-R)
Eliot Engel (NY-17-D)
Philip English (PA-3-R)
Anna Eshoo (CA-14-D)
Bob Etheridge (NC-2-D)
Lane Evans (IL-17-D)
Terry Everett (AL-2-R)
Sam Farr (CA-17-D)
Chaka Fattah (PA-2-D)
Tom Feeney (FL-24-R)
Mike Ferguson (NJ-7-R)
Bob Filner (CA-51-D)
Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-8-R)
Jeff Flake (AZ-6-R)
Randy Forbes (VA-4-R)
Harold Ford (TN-9-D)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1-R)
Vito Fossella (NY-13-R)
Virginia Foxx (NC-5-R)
Barney Frank (MA-4-D)
Trent Franks (AZ-2-R)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11-R)
Elton Gallegly (CA-24-R)
Scott Garrett (NJ-5-R)
Jim Gerlach (PA-6-R)
Jim Gibbons (NV-2-R)
Wayne Gilchrest (MD-1-R)
Paul Gillmor (OH-5-R)
Phil Gingrey (GA-11-R)
Louie Gohmert (TX-1-R)
Charles Gonzalez (TX-20-D)
Virgil Goode (VA-5-R)
Bob Goodlatte (VA-6-R)
Bart Gordon (TN-6-D)
Kay Granger (TX-12-R)
Sam Graves (MO-6-R)
Gene Green (TX-29-D)
Mark Green (WI-8-R)
Al Green (TX-9-D)
Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7-D)
Luis Gutiérrez (IL-4-D)
Gilbert Gutknecht (MN-1-R)
Ralph Hall (TX-4-R)
Jane Harman (CA-36-D)
Katherine Harris (FL-13-R)
Melissa Hart (PA-4-R)
J. Dennis Hastert (IL-14-R)
Alcee Hastings (FL-23-D)
Doc Hastings (WA-4-R)
Robin Hayes (NC-8-R)
J.D. Hayworth (AZ-5-R)
Joel Hefley (CO-5-R)
Jeb Hensarling (TX-5-R)
Wally Herger (CA-2-R)
Stephanie Herseth (SD-AL-D)
Brian Higgins (NY-27-D)
Maurice Hinchey (NY-22-D)
Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15-D)
David Hobson (OH-7-R)
Peter Hoekstra (MI-2-R)
Tim Holden (PA-17-D)
Rush Holt (NJ-12-D)
Mike Honda (CA-15-D)
Darlene Hooley (OR-5-D)
John Hostettler (IN-8-R)
Steny Hoyer (MD-5-D)
Kenny Hulshof (MO-9-R)
Duncan Hunter (CA-52-R)
Henry Hyde (IL-6-R)
Bob Inglis (SC-4-R)
Jay Inslee (WA-1-D)
Steve Israel (NY-2-D)
Darrell Issa (CA-49-R)
Ernest Istook (OK-5-R)
Jesse Jackson (IL-2-D)
Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18-D)
William Jefferson (LA-2-D)
William Jenkins (TN-1-R)
Bobby Jindal (LA-1-R)
Nancy Johnson (CT-5-R)
Tim Johnson (IL-15-R)
Eddie Johnson (TX-30-D)
Sam Johnson (TX-3-R)
Walter Jones (NC-3-R)
Stephanie Jones (OH-11-D)
Paul Kanjorski (PA-11-D)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9-D)
Ric Keller (FL-8-R)
Sue Kelly (NY-19-R)
Mark Kennedy (MN-6-R)
Patrick Kennedy (RI-1-D)
Dale Kildee (MI-5-D)
Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI-13-D)
Ron Kind (WI-3-D)
Peter King (NY-3-R)
Steve King (IA-5-R)
Jack Kingston (GA-1-R)
Mark Kirk (IL-10-R)
John Kline (MN-2-R)
Joe Knollenberg (MI-9-R)
Jim Kolbe (AZ-8-R)
Dennis Kucinich (OH-10-D)
Randy Kuhl (NY-29-R)
Ray LaHood (IL-18-R)
Steven LaTourette (OH-14-R)
James Langevin (RI-2-D)
Tom Lantos (CA-12-D)
Rick Larsen (WA-2-D)
John Larson (CT-1-D)
Tom Latham (IA-4-R)
James Leach (IA-2-R)
Barbara Lee (CA-9-D)
Sander Levin (MI-12-D)
Jerry Lewis (CA-41-R)
John Lewis (GA-5-D)
Ron Lewis (KY-2-R)
John Linder (GA-7-R)
Daniel Lipinski (IL-3-D)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2-R)
Zoe Lofgren (CA-16-D)
Nita Lowey (NY-18-D)
Frank Lucas (OK-3-R)
Daniel Lungren (CA-3-R)
Stephen Lynch (MA-9-D)
Connie Mack (FL-14-R)
Carolyn Maloney (NY-14-D)
Donald Manzullo (IL-16-R)
Kenny Marchant (TX-24-R)
Edward Markey (MA-7-D)
Jim Marshall (GA-3-D)
Jim Matheson (UT-2-D)
Doris Matsui (CA-5-D)
Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4-D)
Michael McCaul (TX-10-R)
Betty McCollum (MN-4-D)
Thad McCotter (MI-11-R)
Jim McCrery (LA-4-R)
Jim McDermott (WA-7-D)
James McGovern (MA-3-D)
Patrick McHenry (NC-10-R)
John McHugh (NY-23-R)
Mike McIntyre (NC-7-D)
Buck McKeon (CA-25-R)
Cynthia McKinney (GA-4-D)
Cathy McMorris (WA-5-R)
Michael McNulty (NY-21-D)
Martin Meehan (MA-5-D)
Kendrick Meek (FL-17-D)
Gregory Meeks (NY-6-D)
Charles Melancon (LA-3-D)
John Mica (FL-7-R)
Michael Michaud (ME-2-D)
Juanita Millender-McDonald (CA-37-D)
George Miller (CA-7-D)
Jeff Miller (FL-1-R)
Candice Miller (MI-10-R)
Brad Miller (NC-13-D)
Gary Miller (CA-42-R)
Alan Mollohan (WV-1-D)
Dennis Moore (KS-3-D)
Gwen Moore (WI-4-D)
James Moran (VA-8-D)
Jerry Moran (KS-1-R)
Tim Murphy (PA-18-R)
John Murtha (PA-12-D)
Marilyn Musgrave (CO-4-R)
Sue Myrick (NC-9-R)
Jerrold Nadler (NY-8-D)
Grace Napolitano (CA-38-D)
Richard Neal (MA-2-D)
Randy Neugebauer (TX-19-R)
Robert Ney (OH-18-R)
Anne Northup (KY-3-R)
Charles Norwood (GA-9-R)
Devin Nunes (CA-21-R)
Jim Nussle (IA-1-R)
James Oberstar (MN-8-D)
David Obey (WI-7-D)
John Olver (MA-1-D)
Solomon Ortiz (TX-27-D)
Tom Osborne (NE-3-R)
Butch Otter (ID-1-R)
Major Owens (NY-11-D)
Michael Oxley (OH-4-R)
Frank Pallone (NJ-6-D)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-8-D)
Ed Pastor (AZ-4-D)
Ron Paul (TX-14-R)
Donald Payne (NJ-10-D)
Stevan Pearce (NM-2-R)
Nancy Pelosi (CA-8-D)
Mike Pence (IN-6-R)
Collin Peterson (MN-7-D)
John Peterson (PA-5-R)
Thomas Petri (WI-6-R)
Chip Pickering (MS-3-R)
Joe Pitts (PA-16-R)
Todd Platts (PA-19-R)
Ted Poe (TX-2-R)
Richard Pombo (CA-11-R)
Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL-D)
Jon Porter (NV-3-R)
Tom Price (GA-6-R)
David Price (NC-4-D)
Deborah Pryce (OH-15-R)
Adam Putnam (FL-12-R)
George Radanovich (CA-19-R)
Nick Rahall (WV-3-D)
Jim Ramstad (MN-3-R)
Charles Rangel (NY-15-D)
Ralph Regula (OH-16-R)
Dennis Rehberg (MT-AL-R)
David Reichert (WA-8-R)
Rick Renzi (AZ-1-R)
Silvestre Reyes (TX-16-D)
Thomas Reynolds (NY-26-R)
Hal Rogers (KY-5-R)
Mike Rogers (AL-3-R)
Mike Rogers (MI-8-R)
Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46-R)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18-R)
Mike Ross (AR-4-D)
Steven Rothman (NJ-9-D)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34-D)
Edward Royce (CA-40-R)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2-D)
Bobby Rush (IL-1-D)
Tim Ryan (OH-17-D)
Paul Ryan (WI-1-R)
Jim Ryun (KS-2-R)
Martin Sabo (MN-5-D)
John Salazar (CO-3-D)
Loretta Sanchez (CA-47-D)
Linda Sánchez (CA-39-D)
Bernard Sanders (VT-AL-I)
Jim Saxton (NJ-3-R)
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9-D)
Adam Schiff (CA-29-D)
Jean Schmidt (OH-2-R)
Allyson Schwartz (PA-13-D)
Joe Schwarz (MI-7-R)
Robert Scott (VA-3-D)
David Scott (GA-13-D)
Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-5-R)
José Serrano (NY-16-D)
Pete Sessions (TX-32-R)
John Shadegg (AZ-3-R)
Clay Shaw (FL-22-R)
Christopher Shays (CT-4-R)
Brad Sherman (CA-27-D)
Don Sherwood (PA-10-R)
John Shimkus (IL-19-R)
Rob Simmons (CT-2-R)
Bill Shuster (PA-9-R)
Michael Simpson (ID-2-R)
Ike Skelton (MO-4-D)
Louise Slaughter (NY-28-D)
Christopher Smith (NJ-4-R)
Lamar Smith (TX-21-R)
Adam Smith (WA-9-D)
Vic Snyder (AR-2-D)
Michael Sodrel (IN-9-R)
Hilda Solis (CA-32-D)
Mark Souder (IN-3-R)
John Spratt (SC-5-D)
Pete Stark (CA-13-D)
Cliff Stearns (FL-6-R)
Ted Strickland (OH-6-D)
Bart Stupak (MI-1-D)
John Sullivan (OK-1-R)
John Sweeney (NY-20-R)
Tom Tancredo (CO-6-R)
John Tanner (TN-8-D)
Ellen Tauscher (CA-10-D)
Gene Taylor (MS-4-D)
Charles Taylor (NC-11-R)
Lee Terry (NE-2-R)
Bill Thomas (CA-22-R)
Bennie Thompson (MS-2-D)
Mike Thompson (CA-1-D)
Mac Thornberry (TX-13-R)
Todd Tiahrt (KS-4-R)
Pat Tiberi (OH-12-R)
John Tierney (MA-6-D)
Edolphus Towns (NY-10-D)
Michael Turner (OH-3-R)
Mark Udall (CO-2-D)
Tom Udall (NM-3-D)
Fred Upton (MI-6-R)
Chris Van Hollen (MD-8-D)
Nydia Velázquez (NY-12-D)
Peter Visclosky (IN-1-D)
Greg Walden (OR-2-R)
James Walsh (NY-25-R)
Zachary Wamp (TN-3-R)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20-D)
Maxine Waters (CA-35-D)
Diane Watson (CA-33-D)
Melvin Watt (NC-12-D)
Henry Waxman (CA-30-D)
Anthony Weiner (NY-9-D)
Dave Weldon (FL-15-R)
Curt Weldon (PA-7-R)
Jerry Weller (IL-11-R)
Lynn Westmoreland (GA-8-R)
Robert Wexler (FL-19-D)
Ed Whitfield (KY-1-R)
Roger Wicker (MS-1-R)
Heather Wilson (NM-1-R)
Joe Wilson (SC-2-R)
Frank Wolf (VA-10-R)
Lynn Woolsey (CA-6-D)
David Wu (OR-1-D)
Al Wynn (MD-4-D)
Don Young (AK-AL-R)
Bill Young (FL-10-R)

Current Members of the Senate
Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Wayne Allard (R-CO)
George Allen (R-VA)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Joe Biden (D-DE)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Kit Bond (R-MO)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Mark Dayton (D-MN)
Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Mike DeWine (R-OH)
Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Bill Frist (R-TN)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Jim Jeffords (I-VT)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
John Kerry (D-MA)
Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Trent Lott (R-MS)
Dick Lugar (R-IN)
Mel Martinez (R-FL)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Barack Obama (D-IL)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
John Rockefeller (D-WV)
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
John Sununu (R-NH)
Jim Talent (R-MO)
Craig Thomas (R-WY)
John Thune (R-SD)
David Vitter (R-LA)
George Voinovich (R-OH)
John Warner (R-VA)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)

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