On the July 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, correspondent Brian Todd became the latest to discuss the recent allegations regarding right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, who is accused of plagiarizing at least three passages in her recent book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Crown Forum, June 2006), as well as portions of several of her Universal Press Syndicate columns. Todd stated that Coulter “is getting as good as she gives,” while guest host John King reported that “there's a new controversy brewing -- not about her comments in that book, but the inspiration behind them.” The story was first reported July 2 by the New York Post after a review by the company iParadigms found that Coulter had plagiarized portions of her new book from Planned Parenthood, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Portland Press Herald. Media Matters for America has noted the controversy here, here, here, and here and asked that Random House, parent to the Crown Publishing Group, which published her book, take action. Crown responded, but Random House has not.

Coulter reportedly refused to appear for the CNN segment. During the segment, Todd said: “Coulter's publicist said she couldn't appear on camera.”

From the July 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

KING: For weeks now, conservative columnist and author Ann Coulter has sat high on The New York Times best-seller list with her controversial new book. But there's a new controversy brewing -- not about her comments in that book, but the inspiration behind them. Our Brian Todd is here to explain. Hi, Brian.

TODD: Hi, John. New allegations of plagiarism now against the woman who's made a career out of being a lighting rod. She's the left wing's living nightmare but spares seemingly no one who she thinks is politically insincere, like some September 11th widows.

COULTER: Apparently cutting a campaign commercial for [Sen.] John Kerry [D-MA] was an important part of the grieving process.

TODD: She also wrote about the widows that she's “never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.” Now, conservative author and columnist Ann Coulter is getting as good as she gives with allegations that she plagiarized several passages in her columns and in her best-selling new book, Godless.

HOWARD KURTZ (Washington Post media critic): When you engage in the kind of incendiary rhetoric that Ann Coulter does, there are a lot of people out there who are going to be pouring over every syllable that you write to try to find something they can use against you.

TODD: One passage in question: On page 95 of the book, Coulter writes of Judge Charles Pickering, quote: "[A]s the president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, Pickering presided over a meeting where the Convention adopted a resolution calling for legislation to outlaw abortion."

Checked against this passage in a 2002 news release from the group Planned Parenthood, the only difference is that Planned Parenthood had the word “judge” before Pickering's name and the year 1984 later in that line.

Coulter's publicist said she couldn't appear on camera, but her book publisher issued a statement saying, quote: “We have reviewed the allegations ... and found them to be as trivial and meritless as they are irresponsible.” Coulter's syndication company says it's reviewing the allegations, but the editor of a conservative weekly who runs her columns also defends Coulter.

TERENCE JEFFREY (Human Events editor): Does anyone really think that Ann Coulter is trying to plagiarize Planned Parenthood? Ann is not a reporter, she's a commentator. She takes her facts from other sources.

TODD: The investigation of Coulter was done by a company called iParadigms, which looks into plagiarism for high schools and colleges. Company officials and representatives of the New York Post newspaper tell CNN the Post reached out to iParadigms to investigate Coulter. Washington Post and CNN media analyst Howard Kurtz says the Post may have been upset by Coulter's attacks on the September 11th widows. The Post denies that. Its editor in chief says the paper looked into it after seeing online rumors about alleged plagiarism by Ann Coulter. John.