O'Reilly Angry After CNN Calls Him Out For Defending Trump’s Racist Attack Against Judge

Written by Media Matters Staff

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Fox’s Bill O’Reilly slammed CNN for criticizing his defense of Trump’s racist tirade against Judge Curiel, claiming CNN’s New Day hosts focused on “alleged racism” rather than “the political point” of Trump’s remarks. O’Reilly echoed Trump’s calls for Judge Gonzalo Curiel to recuse himself, claiming his connection to the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association makes the judge biased against Trump. O’Reilly also noted that the plaintiff’s law firm donated to Clinton’s presidential campaign, which the Fox host claimed makes the case “political.” O’Reilly failed to note Trump’s own lawyer also donated to the Clinton campaign. In fact, Donald Trump himself has donated “at least $100,000” to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s charitable foundation. From the June 9 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:      

BILL O’REILLY (HOST): And that's the main point. That civil litigation has now crossed over into the presidential campaign. Therefore, all involved in the case must be considerate of that. But on CNN, they ignored the political point, totally concentrating on alleged racism. Joining us now from Washington Shannon Bream, here in New York City Eric Sean, both Fox News correspondents. Sean, I was brought up in their little discussion in the morning. And what was the point of that? Who was involved?

ERIC SEAN: The whole point of the interview they said this was unwarranted attack on independent judiciary. When it came to you, Chris Cuomo said that you claim that the judge should step aside, not on the merits, he said, but because you claimed the perception of his future ruling, and that's not what you said at all. You said this is a political case. It has a political component because of the law firm. You have been pointing at that law firm, Robbins-Geller because they have reportedly donated $675,000 to the Clintons for three speeches. One for Hillary, two for Bill Clinton and we have found that some of the top lawyers involved in this case had given thousands of dollars to both Hillary’s campaign and also to president Obama's campaign. No evidence, I should say, of major donations to Republicans.

O’REILLY: Chris Cuomo used to work here at Fox and now he does a morning show at CNN and here is what he said with David Gregory, go.

[BEGIN CLIP]

CHRIS CUOMO: O'Reilly in an interview with him you see why tactically he wanted to do it. But he said I think the judge should step down not because of anything on the merits but perception of his future ruling. That's exactly why the judge needs to stay in place.

DAVID GREGORY: Right. That is based on a racist attitude which is that because you are of Mexican ancestry, so African-Americans who sit on the judiciary who deal with discrimination cases shouldn't be there? A woman can't deal with gender discrimination suits? I mean it has no merit on its face.

[END CLIP]

[...]

O’REILLY: So this discussion is all about their beliefs, Cuomo and Gregory that Trump is a racist and brought in the race card. And they used me, to say I'm asking the judge to recuse himself on the base of race, but I'm not. It's on the base of politics.

SEAN: What does the law firm have to do with the judge in terms of any potential racial issue?

O’REILLY: It doesn't have anything to do. What I want is no whiff at all of politics in the case. And I think that's fair, you know. Look, the judge is under no mandate to recuse himself. He hasn't done anything wrong. I made that quite clear. It's not about race for me. It's about this is now involved in the presidential campaign. So there has to be all doubt has to be removed. That's my opinion. I mean, look, I don't mind if they disagree with my opinion. But don't leave out, Sean the political component. I just want to get this on the record. They left out the political component entirely.