The White House gleefully pointed out Wednesday that its attorney general pick, Loretta Lynch, enjoys support across the political spectrum — including from Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.
“This might be the first and only time we quote Bill O’Reilly from the podium,” White House deputy principal secretary Eric Schultz told reporters. “He called her a hero.”
Indeed, Mr. O’Reilly called Ms. Lynch, U.S. attorney in New York’s Eastern District, a “hero” for bringing federal charges against an accused child rapist given just two years in jail by a state judge.
“Finally, we see a public official willing to right a grievous wrong. Finally, and we want the entire country to know it,” Mr. O’Reilly said in 2012. He replayed the segment in November 2014 after it was announced Ms. Lynch would be nominated to replace outgoing Attorney general Eric Holder.
Other Democrats also have seized on Mr. O’Reilly’s comments.
At Ms. Lynch’s Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Vermont Democrat and his party’s ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, also echoed the Fox host’s sentiments.
“Bill O’Reilly on Fox called you a ’hero’ and said quote, ’you should be respected by all Americans for standing up to gross injustice,” Mr. Leahy told Ms. Lynch. “I agree. I agree with Bill O’Reilly on that.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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