The Congressional Black Caucus is demanding Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly apologize to Rep. Jim Clyburn for saying he wanted to “slap” the Democrat for ignoring the role terrorism played in the Orlando massacre.
Speaking Thursday on “Fox and Friends,” Mr. O’Reilly criticized Mr. Clyburn for choosing to focus on gun control instead of the threat of radical Islam after a Muslim extremist gunned down 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando.
“It’s not about terrorism; it’s about gun control,” the Fox News host said, mimicking Mr. Clyburn before adding, “You know, and I just want to slap him, with all due respect.
“When you start to tell Americans lies, that there isn’t a terror threat, that it’s all about gun control, only if we banned all guns we’d be safe from [the Islamic State],” he said. “When you start to lie at that level, and it’s acceptable lies, then we’re in trouble as a country.”
The CBC chairman called Mr. O’Reilly’s comments “insulting, provocative and unbecoming of a professional commentator.”
“The Congressional Black Caucus is outraged Bill O’Reilly would make such a disparaging statement on national television regarding an esteemed member of the CBC,” the group’s chairman G. K. Butterfield said in a statement last week, McClatchy reported. “Mr. O’Reilly should disavow his comments and issue an apology to Congressman Clyburn immediately.”
Jaime Harrison, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, also tweeted: “This isn’t 1860 or 1960! Your divisive rhetoric is toxic & you are clueless.”
Mr. Clyburn, however, wasn’t fazed by Mr. O’Reilly’s comments.
“Tolerating haters is the story of my life,” he told McClatchy.
A Fox News spokeswoman said Mr. Clyburn was invited to be a guest on “The O’Reilly Factor” Monday, but he declined the invitation, McClatchy reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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