The insidious nature of Bill O'Reilly bloviation is his ability to tell lies which then becomes part of a false narrative. Such was the case during O'Reilly's lengthy jihad against the murdered abortion provider, Dr. George Tiller when Bill repeated the bogus and defamatory claim that Tiller was violating KS law which allows late term abortion only for the life and health of the mother. In asserting that Tiller performed abortion "for any reason," O'Reilly based his claim on the testimony of former Kansas attorney-general, Phill Kline whose witch hunt against Tiller was ultimately unsuccessful and an anti-abortion doctor who claimed to have seen Tiller's records. Despite the fact that Tiller was NEVER convicted of any criminal action, O'Reilly continues to make the claim that he did. Last week, he brayed about having proved that Tiller performed abortions for "any reason." Not only is Bill delusional, he is lying about somebody whose murder occurred in a climate of hate and lies stirred up by O'Reilly - and that's insidious.
For a good part of last week, O'Reilly obsessed about how America is becoming a barbaric nation. He cited, as an example, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed legislation that will expand access to abortion, in accordance with Roe (not mentioned by O'Reilly) for reasons of health as well as life of the mother. Being the anti-abortion zealot that he is, Bill was unwilling to address the reality that late term abortion can be vital for health reasons. Rather, he insinuated women will take advantage of the health exception to have abortions that they don't really need - an accusation that he made throughout his attacks on Tiller whom he accused of manipulating the health exception to perform abortions "for any reason" - the implication being that women are too silly and selfish to know what's best for them.
After Kirsten Powers said, during a Factor segment, that the health exception can't be defined. (Can't trust doctors or women, right, Kirsten?), O'Reilly pontificated that he did define it, "with the guy who was assassinated in Kansas, Tiller, we did define it very, very clearly. IT WAS ANYTHING." Bill O'Reilly is lying. He didn't define bupkis. He's basing his accusation on allegations made by Phill Kline when he spoke about confidential medical records, on the Factor - a "violation of professional conduct" that could lead to the suspension of his law license. O'Reilly also used commentary from an anti-abortion doctor who claimed to have seen Tiller's records.
The Factor claim that Tiller broke the law was made by Phill Kline who spoke about confidential medical information, obtained from Tiller's clinic, after the KS Supreme Court told him to "resist any impulse to further publicize the respective legal positions." O'Reilly told Kline that "our information says that on almost every medical sheet, obviously we have a source inside here, it says depression. So, I don't know whether you have that information or not, I don't know, but that's what it says." While it was never ascertained whether O'Reilly was lying about having access to confidential records (a scary thought) or that he was being fed bogus information, what is clear is that Tiller was acquitted of charges that he performed illegal abortions.
Bill's other proof of his having "defined" Tiller's criminality was Dr. Paul McHugh who was commissioned by Kline to review Tiller's records. Kline's successor, Paul Morrison, ended the investigation with no charges filed and the comment that Tiller provided high quality care. After McHugh released a videotape, used by O'Reilly, in which he claimed that women had late term abortions because they wanted to go to concerts, Morris threatened him with legal action if he didn't stop talking about the case.
After Bill again defamed Tiller on last week's Factor, he also said that the "other doctor who was rubber stamping late term abortions for Tiller lost her license in Kansas because it was anything." O'Reilly is lying. The Operation Rescue complaint against Dr. Ann Neuhaus alleged her depression diagnoses weren't sufficiently detailed. She testified that she refused to put too much identifying information in the records because she was concerned about the privacy of her patients especially given Kline's willingness to discuss the case on The Factor.
While Cuomo's bill is not yet complete, Bill is making a projection based on a false narrative that he set up when he baselessly attacked Dr. Tiller, whom he is still attacking with the false and defamatory claim that Tiller and his patients were complicit in having abortions done for any reason. Clearly, Bill O'Reilly doesn't trust women. And that's insidious!
I suspect he has ducked into a room to scream profanities far more than he cares to admit.
Tip of the Day, Billdo, grow up a-hole.
Priscilla, just a note. The proper 2-letter abbreviation for Kansas is KS, not KA. Not a major problem; just pointing it out.