'Bill O'Reilly needs to go to jail': Maxine Waters dubs Fox News a 'sexual harassment enterprise'
MSNBC
Appearing on MSNBC, the congresswoman said she was "not surprised" the president defended O'Reilly, citing Trump's history of lewd comments about women.
"It's coming out of the mouth of a man who has said some horrible things about women," Waters said. "Don't forget he talked about grabbing women in their private parts, and he could get away with it because he's important. They are two of a kind."
The California congresswoman dubbed Fox News a "sexual harassment enterprise," alluding to similar accusations leveled against former CEO Roger Ailes, and called for O'Reilly to be criminally prosecuted.
"It shouldn't be in America that you can sexually harass women and then buy your way out of it because you're rich," she said. "If they continue to do this in the way that they have done they need to go to jail."
Waters added: "Bill O'Reilly needs to go to jail."
The New York Times revealed on Saturday previously unknown sexual-harassment complaints that resulted in settlements paid by Fox and O'Reilly to five former coworkers, who alleged repeated instances of verbal abuse, lewd comments, and unwanted advances.
O'Reilly has denied that there is any merit to the allegations against him.
Critics called for an advertiser boycott until O'Reilly was removed, and by Wednesday evening, over 30 advertisers publicly pulled ads from "The O'Reilly Factor."
Waters' comments came just a week after she found herself on the receiving end of O'Reilly's commentary.
The Fox News anchor apologized after joking that he could not focus on the substance of Waters' criticism of Trump because O'Reilly was distracted by her "James Brown wig."
- I got a $40K raise using this 30-second strategy. It made me realize loud work, not hard work, always wins.
- Qatar Airways' new CEO explains why it's sticking with the Airbus A380 as other airlines retire the costly superjumbo
- Prince Harry and Meghan found out about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis on TV like everyone else, report says
- Ice melt in Antarctica and Greenland is slowing Earth's rotation, affecting timekeeping: Study
- Elections on a plate: Poll panels fix menu & expense ceiling for Samosa, tea, biryani & more
- Regenerative farming, cover crops will help farmers increase yields, reduce stubble burning: IDH CEO
- Sustainable Event Planning
- Ambani, Adani collaborate: RIL picks 26% stake in Adani Power project