Despite long history of attacking those he deems "soft on child predators," O'Reilly downplayed possible role of GOP leadership in covering up Foley's actions

Despite his long history of attacking judges, newspapers, and elected officials he has deemed to be "soft on child predators," on the October 2 editions of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor and Westwood One's The Radio Factor, host Bill O'Reilly declined to discuss allegations that House Republican leaders learned months ago of emails allegedly sent by Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) to an underage congressional page and did not act on that information. Instead, O'Reilly chose to focus on the Democratic leadership and the "San Francisco values" of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who O'Reilly warned "will become the speaker" if Democrats regain control of the House in the November midterm elections. As Media Matters for America has noted, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-NY), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), all had prior knowledge of at least some of Foley's alleged email exchanges.

On The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly mentioned that "some believe other Republican leaders knew of Foley's indiscretions" and "[i]f so, those people should resign right now" -- but O'Reilly gave no details as to the extent to which Republican leaders may have known of "Foley's indiscretions." He added: "You know, look, the bomb-throwers are running around saying, you know, the leadership might have known this -- we don't want to get into that. We're going to follow the fact trail here." Indeed, the subsequent discussion, which featured right-wing pundit Michelle Malkin and Fox News analyst Kirsten Powers, did not touch upon the House leadership's role in the scandal, except when Malkin briefly noted without further explanation that "you've got people all demanding -- and in some cases justifiably so -- to know who knew what and when."

On The Radio Factor, O'Reilly dismissed the Foley scandal as "a weeklong story, unless Hastert, the speaker of the House, or anything like that is implicated in the cover-up"; O'Reilly did not provide any further details. Yet as Media Matters has noted, Hastert reportedly knew of some of Foley's communications as early as late 2005, Boehner was apparently aware of some of Foley's email exchanges in spring of 2006, and Reynolds also reportedly knew of some of the exchanges "months ago." Additionally, a Republican staff member reportedly warned some congressional pages "to watch out for" Foley in 2001, and, according to ABC News, pages "were told 'don't get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff.'"

But rather than discussing the emerging scandal's possible links to House Republican leaders, O'Reilly focused on Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. Referring to Pelosi, O'Reilly declared "the USA" was not "ready for San Francisco values." He also claimed that "[t]raditional Americans in both parties fear the radicalism that Dean and Pelosi embrace" and that "those two GOP haters [Pelosi and Dean] are actually helping the Republicans" because "if the Dems win the White House, Nancy Pelosi will become the speaker." Presumably, O'Reilly was referring to the possibility of Democrats regaining control of the House of Representatives after the November midterm elections, not to the possibility of a Democratic candidate winning the 2008 presidential election.

O'Reilly's refusal to discuss the Republican leadership's prior knowledge of Foley's actions stands in stark contrast to his constant attacks on anyone he deems to be "soft on child predators." Notably, O'Reilly has attacked judges, politicians, and newspapers in Florida, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Ohio for allegedly being lenient on child sex offenders, as Media Matters has repeatedly documented (here, here, here, here and here). O'Reilly maintains a list of newspapers that he deems "soft on child predators" and that "are not actively supporting Jessica's Law," a proposal named after 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2005, that would increase prison sentences and toughen restrictions on convicted child sex offenders. He has also frequently called for specific judges -- such as Chittenden County, Vermont, District Court Judge Edward Cashman, and Franklin County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas Judge John Connor -- to be removed from office for giving light sentences to sex offenders. For instance:

• In his new book Culture Warrior (Broadway, September 2006), O'Reilly devotes at least eight pages to Cashman, who gave what O'Reilly deemed a light sentence to a convicted sex offender in January 2006. O'Reilly wrote: "My staff and I pounded the story night after night, with revelations about Vermont's weak leaders and chaotic legislature [pg. 132]." Indeed, he did. A Nexis review of The O'Reilly Factor found 42 different segments mentioning Cashman since January 9.* On January 11, O'Reilly announced during his "Talking Points Memo" that "Vermont Judge Edward Cashman must be removed from the bench by the Vermont legislature," a call he repeatedly made in the following months. On page 128 of his book, O'Reilly asserts that "[i]n a shocking display of journalistic irresponsibility," "[m]ost of the Vermont media...actually supported the judge." O'Reilly includes three Vermont newspapers-- The Rutland Herald, The Bennington Banner, and The Brattleboro Reformer-- in his list of "media outlets we believe are soft on child predators" and "derelict in their obligation to protect American Children." As Media Matters previously noted, O'Reilly has warned his viewers to "visit [Vermont] at your discretion," because it is a "hopeless, hopeless state" that refuses to "protect the kids" from child molesters.
• Also in his new book, O'Reilly declared: "I let Judge Connor have it on The Factor" for giving probation to a sex offender, "arguing that the state had to impeach him [pg. 136]." On The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly hosted several Ohio Republican politicians calling for Connor's removal from the bench, such as Attorney General Jim Petro and Speaker of the Ohio House Jon Husted, mentioned Connor in 30 different segments** since March 7, and attacked numerous Ohio newspapers for disagreeing with O'Reilly. Notably, O'Reilly mischaracterized a March 19 Dayton Daily News editorial that addressed Connor's sentencing, by stating on the March 20 edition of The O'Reilly Factor that, "The editor of the Dayton Daily News, Jeff Bruce, apparently believes [Judge John] Connor should not be sanctioned for giving probation to a child rapist and is smearing anyone who disagrees with that." In fact, the editorial argued for Connor to receive due process in any proceeding and called on O'Reilly, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, and Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro to "realize on a very personal level the importance of a legal system not inflamed by the politics of the moment." It also pointed out the past personal legal problems of each as examples where "[a]ll three men could have been destroyed by a rush to judgment of the kind they are now inciting." The Dayton Daily News is the first paper mentioned on O'Reilly's list of "media outlets...soft on child predators."
• On April 18, O'Reilly began to attack Worcester, Massachusetts, Superior Court Judge John McCann for sentencing to house arrest a child sex offender who failed to register and fled to Florida while on probation. O'Reilly aired a photograph of the judge on the screen, telling viewers, "there he is," and suggesting that McCann "sympathize[d]...with these child predators." On the same program, O'Reilly declared that "Massachusetts has no judicial accountability," and that "in Massachusetts, the kids are not being protected."

From the October 2 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: [Washington Post assistant managing editor Bob] Woodward [author of State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III (Simon & Schuster, September 2006)], who will be here tomorrow night, asserts that the war in Iraq has created chaos within the Bush administration and the entire strategy is flawed. In just a few moments, former White House chief of staff Andrew Card will speak to that. But there is no question that the mainstream media -- no fans of the Bush administration -- is running hard with the account. And with poll numbers on Iraq already in a freefall, this is big-time damage. So is Foley's colossal betrayal of his position. The congressman entered rehab today. Standard issue. But there's no excusing his inappropriate behavior. The FBI should investigate Foley to the full extent of the law.

Now, some believe other Republican leaders knew of Foley's indiscretions. If so, those people should resign right now. Any cover-up of this situation is unacceptable. Period. If the Democrat [sic] Party was what it used to be, say, 20 years ago, there'd be no contest in November. The Dems would win big. But today, there is a split in the Democrat [sic] Party between traditional Dems and the far-left secular progressives, led by Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi. Ironically, those two GOP haters are actually helping the Republicans. Millions of independent voters realize that if the Dems win the White House, Nancy Pelosi will become the speaker. Is the USA ready for San Francisco values? Does Nancy Pelosi reflect the attitudes of most Americans?

The answer is no, she does not. Traditional Americans in both parties fear the radicalism that Dean and Pelosi embrace. And if you don't believe that, check out my book Culture Warrior for proof.

[...]

O'REILLY: "Factor Follow-up" segment tonight. Congressman Mark Foley has entered rehab for alcohol and other issues, but his reputation is shattered, and the scandal might grow larger. Joining us now with analysis, Fox News analyst Kirsten Powers here in New York and Michelle Malkin in Washington. You know, look, the bomb-throwers are running around saying, you know, the leadership might have known this, might not -- we don't want to get into that. We're going to follow the fact trail here. But as I said in the "Talking Points," Michelle, anybody covering up for this guy has gotta resign today. And there is no justification or excuse for this kind of behavior. Am I wrong?

MALKIN: You're absolutely right, of course, Bill. And the whole thing makes me ill. We've got hyper-partisan sniping on both sides, people running to the cameras to point fingers and say that one party was more hypocritical than the other, drudging up past episodes, in some cases not analogous. I think very unfair. And then you've got people all demanding -- and in some cases justifiably so -- to know who knew what and when. But I think before we get to that point, we have to deal with the mess as it is. And I don't like the excusing that I see from people on my side of Foley's reprehensible behavior.

From the October 2 edition of Westwood One's The Radio Factor:

O'REILLY: The Foley thing is a weeklong story, unless Hastert, the speaker of the House, or anything like that is implicated in the cover-up. But it's a -- it's a tough one-two punch this week. So you would say that independent voters, which are gonna tell a tale because Republicans will vote Republican, Democrats will vote Democrat -- but independent voters would probably go to the Democratic Party in a month, right, because there's too much turbulence on the Republican side. That would be the historical, logical thing to do.

But there's one huge card here. If you vote for the Democrats, and if they get a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, guess who's the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi, who is a far-left secular-progressive bomb-thrower. So you bring to America San Francisco values.

Now, most independent Americans, I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, don't want San Francisco values at the top of the political food chain. So you go, "Whoa, what are my choices?" A confused and dazed Republican Party, or San Francisco values? It's really a dilemma.

[...]

O'REILLY: OK. Let's bring in Karen Hanretty. She's a Republican strategist out in Sacramento, California. And, you know, I -- as I've said, Karen, this is the worst day I've seen for the Republican Party in years. Do you disagree?

HANRETTY: This is -- this is really awful. Worst day in years. I think we've had some pretty bad days over the past few years. But this is -- you know, you said -- I think you said that this is going to be a one-week story?

O'REILLY: The Foley story.

HANRETTY: I don't think so. Bill, I think this story is going to go on for weeks and weeks.

O'REILLY: Only if there are higher-ups that covered it.

[...]

O'REILLY: Yeah. But the story disappears in a week unless some big Republican fat-cats tried to cover it up. Now, if that's the case, then you're dead. I mean, they'll just nail whoever that is to the wall. So I'm gonna say tonight on radio and television, if anybody did that, they've gotta just fess up and resign right now.

HANRETTY: Well, look, I'll tell you right now, if that is the case -- I'm not sure it is -- if it is, then the entire Republican leadership is -- will, I mean, will have to be overturned.

[...]

O'REILLY: Because they are basically saying, "Listen, we don't want the Democrats so much as we're tired of you guys screwing up." And, I mean, that's what it's all about. The only thing, the only caveat is the San Francisco values thing. Now, if I were Republicans, I'd be making a big deal out of that. I'd be saying, "Well, look, maybe we haven't been the greatest, but look what's over the -- over the horizon."

HANRETTY: Well, I'll tell you what. Here's the ultimate irony of that. San Francisco values, you know -- you know very well because you've interviewed some of these people. San Francisco politicians are some of the biggest, if not the biggest defenders of sexual predators in the nation.

O'REILLY: I don't know if you can make that argument, though, on a national basis when you got Foley --

HANRETTY: That's the San Francisco politician -- you know, I'll tell you something. You've got politicians who do out-and-out defend sexual predators, who go out of their way to kill legislation that would --

* A Lexis-Nexis search of Fox News Channel using terms "show: (O'Reilly Factor) and (Judge w/5 Cashman)" yielded these results.

** A Lexis-Nexis search of Fox News Channel using terms "show: (O'Reilly Factor) and (Judge w/5 Connor)" yielded these results.