Glenn Beck Radio Show: Rick Sanchez Can't Say Beck Responsible For Murder Because Of DUI (AUDIO)

Earlier this week, CNN's Rick Sanchez accused Fox News -- namely Glenn Beck -- of creating an environment of fear and distrust that has led to a surge in gun violence, in particular tying last week's Pittsburgh shooting to "Fox News and right wing radio."

Watch that clip and read Jason Linkins' take on it here.

On Beck's radio show Thursday, Beck and staff lashed out against Sanchez, calling Sanchez "the one guy who shouldn't accuse other people of being responsible for murder" over his 1990 drunk driving incident, in which Sanchez struck a pedestrian who would be paralyzed and later die from injuries sustained in the accident.

"Maybe if you're one of the very few people in our society that has actually been responsible for killing someone," Beck's producer Stu Burguiere ranted, "maybe you should be the one guy who shouldn't accuse other people of being responsible for murders."

Beck attempted to slow Stu down but he continued:

"Maybe you should be the one human being on earth who should not be attacking another personality for killing people, because of the fact that before you worked at CNN, you worked in Miami, and you ran over a person, and that person died. Maybe YOU should consider that before speaking on every occasion. Every time you let words out of your mouth, you should make sure you remember that day."

"Who hasn't gotten drunk, got into a car, and ran over someone?" Beck asked. "That happens all the time!"

Listen:

Sanchez was charged with and pleaded no contest to the DUI in 1991.

Comments

[Bettysdad]

Well then Beck isn't responsible for ANYTHING he says because of his own admitted alcoholism.

[indymaggie]

He didn't kill anyone while driving.

[lizt]

No, he was completely sober when he incited the violence that led to the deaths of police officers.

[bowthai]

So according to Beck's 'logic', anyone guilty of drunk driving death is not permitted to call out b.s. when s/he hears it? No one would excuse Sanchez's actions and he should never forget what he did. But this accident is entirely unrelated to Sanchez's criticism of Beck; the only tenuous connections are the unnecessary deaths of several individuals and the gross irresponsibility on the part of each party. Sanchez has, at least legally and from what I gather in this article, admitted some degree of responsibility. Beck, however, continues to believe himself the 'circus clown' who willfully divorces himself from every crazy who commits violence, without acknowledging that he contributes to the hateful atmosphere that encourages this very thing. One is an isolated case of extreme (and criminal) negligance and the other is public incitement by a 'national figure' to act in potentially harmful ways to people of differing opinions.

[merger]

BS is BS even when it comes from Sanchez.

[KeysE2S]

So you are saying its OK to yell fire in a crowded theater? Or to lie about the President's desire to "take away your guns"?

[DMSmith]

What price your aunt Bessie has never been and never will be a good response to any accusation.

Regardless of what he did, he was calling Beck out - and it needed to be done. Changing the topic will not change what Beck has done.

[merger]

What is it that Beck has done? Or did you mean "said'. People are responsible for their own actions. i remember when Republicans used to blame Hollywood for creating an atmosphere of violence. the liberals cried foul and said everyone is responsible for their own actions and argued they weren't to blame if a person watches a violent movie and then copycats it.

[chitown8]

On December 10, 1990, Sanchez struck a pedestrian, Jeffrey Smuzinick, with his car while driving drunk on a residential street near Dolphin Stadium.[2­] Smuzinick was paralyzed and eventually died from his injuries in 1995.[2][3­] Sanchez, who had just left an NFL football game with his father (and left the scene of the accident)[4], was not charged with causing the accident, but was charged with and pleaded no contest to DUI.[2]

The law allows him to plea that way.

[Tommygun264]

And how does this absolve Glenn Beck of any responsibility for his actions?

[applescruff]

Yeah right and the Alcoholic Beck hasn't ever driven a car under the influence? He loves and lives to tell the story of his battle with drink. Just doesn't serve his agenda here.

[SouthPrairie]

I think we should let the Beck types babble their blather. They reveal themselves for who they are.

[julia23]

The Beck types are so nutty I don't think anyone has a problem with taking them seriously.

[barkway]

If that were true about Sanchez (and I don't know if it is), wouldn't he be in jail for vehicular manslaughter (or have served some time)?

[clearthinker2008]

So it worked, you're now more interested in the Sanchez incident that has already been dealt with legally, than Becks call of arms to crazies. See how that works?

[BlueHorde]

Sanchez was not charged for hitting the man with his car because he was not at fault, the pedestrian was jaywalking. According to witnesses Jeffrey Smuzinick was very drunk and ran into the street directly in the path of the car. Sanchez initially stopped, attempted first aid and flagged down other motorists to assist, once others were present on the scene he went home to retrieve his driver's license and insurance card and returned. He was not charged in the accident because it was determined that he did not cause it, but he was cited for being under the influence - a charge he did not contest.

Compare that to Glenn Beck who uses ad hominem attacks to avoid admitting to the consequences of his own acts.

[lizt]

The pedestrian walked in front of his car...step­ped out into traffic leaving Sanchez no time to react. That's why he wasn't sent to jail.

[Dooley50]

I agree that Sanchez was a poor messenger here, but it still does not remove responsibility for hate mongering from Becks camp.
If anything, Beck is coming short of calling out for more "Timothy McVeigh" type of nutjobs.

[gdindependent]

Yes, put words into his mouth, then you can condemn him for them. Well done.

[rsprags]

Maybe they both realizes the are on the same cable repurg side, KISS, and make-up

[OldFreddie]

I'm with Beck on this one, as I'm sure are the family of the man Rick Sanchez killed while driving drunk.

[rsprags]

I'm never on either one of their sides!

[AKAchip]

The two situations have nothing to do with each other. Of course Rick Sanchez can speak ou against what Beck is doing regardless of his past history. Just like a Rehtug to try and change the subject. Sanchez is an American and the constitution gives him to right to free speech.

[loki]

I dont like Spin beck at all, but if you go by your argument, then Beck has every right to say the things he says to.

[Bryan Wither]

"the man Rick Sanchez killed while driving drunk." was also drunk at the time of the accident and stumbled out into the street.

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1991-08-07/news/the-forgotten-man/

But if Beck and his producer want to go there, then we can start calling Beck out for the same type of negligence.

[Kynn]

You can always know you're wrong about something when you say you agree with Glenn Beck.

Sanchez has ever right to connect Beck. Things that Sanchez did twenty years ago does not invalidate what he says today.

[zanzig]

I have no idea what Sanchez feels about that 1990 act of his, but if he feels even a shred of remorse and guilt, I would incline to the view that he is precisely the one person who can call Beck out on this. Who else but someone who has caused the death of another human through his own criminal culpability will know what it means to take responsibility for that act?

[spartacus275]

Very well said.

[jozinha]

Accidents resulting from alcoholism and inciting aggression while "sober" are two very different things.

[FlamingLibrul]

Where's Larry Flynt when you need him? When Clinton was being gleefully raked over the coals by the rightwing, for his Monica incident, Larry offered reward money for dirt on rethuglicans- which led to at least a couple of resignations of two-faced rethug lawmakers. Larry, start the digging on Beck please. You know this guy has to have a storage-wharehouse load of skeletons.

[Curdleberg]

I didn't know that about Sanchez...­that's bad. I think his point about Beck is valid, but it's fair for him to respond by pointing out this incident in Sanchez's past. And I agree with Jamchinadian that the same point should have been made by others at CNN, and MSNBC for that matter.

[Kynn]

It's not really fair, because it has nothing to do with the conversation that's being held.

[309blank]

the point is that beck doest have a point. he is in now way responding to sanchez' argument and starts calling him names instead.

[DNoonan]

If we're going to have a rational debate Glenn Beck shouldn't be involved.

http://www.pufferfishblog.com/

[boilinabag]

if you thought fox was reaching a new low, beck and his team have reached a despicable new low. becks montage of obama and hitler was amazing.

rupert murcock only company that is making money right now is fox news.... he loves when they ratchet up the rhetoric..­. he has ruined the wall street journal also......