Clarence Page Falsely Asserts Fluke Testified 'Before a Congressional Committee Hearing'

March 7th, 2012 5:08 PM

On the Chicago Tribune's Web site and in its print edition today, columnist Clarence Page asks hopefully "Could this be the end of Limbaugh?"  

Seizing on the usual Democratic points regarding Rush Limbaugh's comments about law student Sandra Fluke, Page writes that Limbaugh wasn't suspended, "despite his breathtaking assault against a private citizen whose only crime, after all, was to testify before a congressional committee hearing in support of mandatory health insurance for contraception."

But Sandra Fluke didn't testify before a legitimate congressional committee hearing.  As noted by CBS News senior political producer Jill Jackson On February 23:

Led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats held a pretend hearing while Congress is not in session to listen to the views of a third-year Georgetown Law student and activist who was not allowed to attend a Republican run hearing on the matter last week.

Jackson's report also refers to "Thursday's fake hearing" and the "mock hearing." Pretend, fake and mock.  Not, as Page suggests, a genuine congressional committee hearing.

It was merely a session orchestrated by House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other liberals to bolster their spurious contention of a "war on women."  Page has been around Washington long enough to know the difference.  But it might interfere with the narrative he and some other members of the mainstream media wish to advance.