O'Reilly - Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen helped to free sniper John Lee Malvo from INS custody

Bill O'Reilly - Fox News ^ | November 7, 2002

[HAL9000]

Is there a connection between

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Bill O'Reilly reported that accused sniper John Lee Malvo and his mother were bailed out from INS detention by an organization called Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

O'Reilly revealed that the organization is largely funded by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft and Chairman of Charter Communications.

According to the Paul Allen Foundation site, Allen contributed $40,000 to the organization that paid for the release of Malvo from INS custody.

Allen's main business venture, Charter Communications, is under investigation for criminal fraud for accounting practices, and disclosed serious tax problems earlier this week in connection with acquistions the company made in 1999.

[per loin]

Those are nice deep pockets to sue into.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Boy, talk about a stretch. I can see Paul Allen not giving money in the future if he thought his money helped free the sniper suspect but to say he "freed the sniper" is a little bit crazy.

[Cicero]

I don't see how Allen can be held guilty for this. Maybe he'll think twice about giving again.

Even the organization doesn't deserve the major share of the blame. It's a free country. People are allowed to express their views, even noxious views.

The real blame goes to the INS and the guy who released Malvo, against regulations.

[Camber-G]

If O'Reilley is actually promoting this as a "shocking expose", he must really be getting desparate for ratings, LOL.

The headline is totally misleading ... the connection is so tenuous as to be non-existant

[billybudd]

This is such rubbish. Typical O'Reilly trying to "rile" up the people with inflammatory conspiracy theories. Ok, so Paul Allen donates to this non-profit organization. And the organization is in the business of helping immigrants in particular cases. O'Reilly is making it sound as if their sole purpose is to free snipers, and as if Allen himself personally directed Malvo's release. And what the hell does Charter Communications have to do with this? So tax fraud => freeing snipers? Huh?

Bill O'Reilly is a freaking retard.

[GovernmentShrinker]

While I don't agree with Paul Allen's choice of philanthropic endeavors, there is no evidence whatsoever that he intended to fund the ILLEGAL release of anyone from INS custody; in fact he might reasonably have thought that the INS would not let that happen. Apparently, there are many situations in which an immigrant who is known or suspected to be here illegally may be released from INS custody on bond; Lee Malvo, classified as a stowaway, was explicitly not eligible for such release.

We need to do better than chasing deep pockets who didn't commit any crime -- that's a socialist strategy. Any and all INS personnel who participated in the crime of releasing an illegal alien who was not eligible for release, and who participated in other similar crimes which will no doubt be discovered upon investigation, need to do prison time for it.

[tinamina]

Since Paul Allen has so much money and is SO compassionate, he should volunteer to pay for the cost of the trial of John Lee Malvo and for his execution, or prison stay, don't you think?

[lelio]

Wow, B'OR is really stretching here. I doubt even if Paul Allen knew he was giving away a day's pay to this group, it was probably just on a list of charities to finance.

[Michael Barnes]

I always knew your handlers were bad to the core </sarcasm>

[TheDon]

Oh really? I think Paul should be responsible for what uses he puts his money to.

[m1911]

So if you donate to an pro-life group and a pro-lifer kills a doctor...

[proust]

The headline got me, but the posts so far are right, that is a stretch. Maybe we should call O'Reilly "Plastic Man" or "Mr. Fantastic."

[steve-b]

Oh, puh-leeze. This is like saying that the makers of the cigars Bill diddled Monica with is connected to the Clinton Crime Cabal.

[proust]

[steve-b]

LOL! Yep, O'Reilly's stretches and contortions make Reed Richards look like Al Gore.

[billhilly]

I'm sure glad Steve Jobs didn't have a hand in this. He did enough damage by financing SALON Magazine, which is now as dead as Malvo's targets.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

So since I gave to the United Way and then they screwed the Boy Scouts I need to be held responsible for how my money was spent.

Paul Allen needs to be held up to public scrutiny and ridicule if he continues to give money to this hellhole after they did this.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Britney Spears just started a new tax shelter charity. Hopefully no one who benefits from it gets naughty. America would never recover.