Waxman: Fictitious American Spectator Story Creates Confusion.

Another day another crapola. Pass the popcorn please..

On October 8, 2007, the American Spectator printed a fictitious story alleging that Congressman Waxman and the House Oversight Committee were investigating conservative and Republican talk show radio programs.

The American Spectator report is completely false and was written without any documentation or attribution. There is not now nor has there ever been any investigation of this subject. But even though there is no truth to the story, the hoax has been repeated on Fox News (transcript below) and several blogs (Family Research Council, Instapundit, ).

The American Spectator should immediately retract its report and apologize for the confusion its fictitious report has caused. Moreover, anyone concerned about the false reporting should contact the American Spectator at (703)807-2011 to register your views.

Transcript of Hannity and Colmes:

COLMES: Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman will be tuning into conservative talk radio. The American Spectator reports that he’s asking his staff to go through transcripts of Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin and Sean Hannity’s radio shows. And what looks like an effort to push for the Fairness Doctrine.
We now continue with Ann Coulter.


I tried to get a statement from Waxman’s office. I could not get one. So assuming the story is — if the story is true…

COULTER: Of course it’s true.

COLMES: And if they’re actually going to go through — I don’t like the government going through anybody’s radio shows and then taking action based — I don’t care whether it’s Sean, whether it’s someone on the left like me. I think it’s a bad precedent.

Also, I’m against the Fairness Doctrine.

COULTER: Yes.