Congressman Peter King is a nine-term House Representative from New York.
Republican Peter King
In a speech before the American Legion in upstate in New York, the Republican Congressman called on the media to stop covering Michael Jackson because “this guy was a pervert.”
He went on to say:
He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country. We’re too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, ‘We don’t need Michael Jackson.
Who is Peter King? Congressman King is currently serving his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a lifelong resident of New York, and served in local government for many years before becoming a Congressman. He is a graduate of St. Francis College and Notre Dame Law School.
He certainly is not a household name outside of his district, but he is gaining national notoriety for his comments about Michael Jackson.
I say, Amen!
It’s sad that a human life is lost. However, do we need to glorify and pay tribute to someone who was a pedophile? Does the simple act of dying turn someone into a national treasure and make everything he’s done in the past be forgotten?
I’m not saying we should pass judgment on Michael Jackson, but as a country we do not need to act like he’s now an American treasure. It’s silly how many news teams are covering every move by the Jackson family and asking people how much Michael Jackson meant to them.
Frankly, I liked some of his songs, but other than that, I thought he was a very strange man that should not be revered or emulated.
Peter King should be commended for being gutsy enough to call the media out on its coverage of Michael Jackson.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Who says he’s a pedophile? He was found not guilty on all 14 counts filed against him. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Oh wait.I forgot this is “media” where you can say and do anything you want………..
July 6th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Whomever wrote this article is a person who has no respect for the dead! Peter King is a jerk, and so are you!
July 6th, 2009 at 11:44 am
I think we all know how this will end:
scratch a republican wind bag, find a kinky hypocrit.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:50 am
How pathetic! Peter King puts himself above the American Judical System that came back with a finding of not guilty to unilaterally slander Michael Jackson.
This man and his hate-mongering followers need to get a life!
July 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I think some of our politicians should be grateful the spotlight is on people like Michael Jackson. It takes the focus off of them. If you trust our justice system then you must remember he was not guilty. Was he a strange guy? Sure, but I hope we still live in a county where you can be a little strange or different and not be condemned for it.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I think it’s been proven the family in the 2005 case were repeat extorsionists. As for the congressman…I think it’s pathetic to ride the Michael Jackson train just to get some attention. Why would congressman say anything about Jackson? Obviously the world thinks Jackson was a victom of extorsion and was inocent of all charges. I think Peter King will regret he opened his big fat mouth!
July 6th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
congressman king yeah my thoughts exactly way to go if i lived in ny i would vote for you
July 6th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
The Congressman’s comments are in contrast to the “worship” being adored to Michael Jackson. Our nation’s media has sensationalized and Obamabilianized an “idol” out of an “icon”. There is a serious problem with our society in doing this. Our society is showing it doesn’t understand the difference between the mortal man Michael Jackson; a human being, and the “Idol” our American mob loves to create. We are merely creating nothing less than a “Golden Calf”. Congressman King’s comments are no different than Moses’ comments to Aaron after he came down the mountain the first time.
These are facts: Michael was a “tortured soul”, according to his spiritual advisors. Michael Jackson admitted to sleeping with boys on numerous occasions and installed an elaborate security system to warn him when he had children sleeping with him. Michael Jackson settled numerous cases of sexual assault with boys out of court for millions of dollars. Michael Jackson assaulted an Army Major’s son and after “no-shows” was handed over to the courts by the Nation of Islam.
Six soldiers and two Marines died this week in Afghanistan. Is CNN having a memorial for them? Congressman King’s comments were merely in contrast to the large number of people who deserve credit on the 4th of July, the least of whom was Michael Jackson.
PS….Mr. Obama you’re wrong QUINCY JONES shaped the music Michael merely danced to.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I can’t believe that a person of this political capacity can be so biased and disrespectful of Michael Jackson and his family. The man has not even been buried and Peter King had to put in his 2 cents. I’d love to see you try to do it at the memorial service.
Those hasty, hated comments that Mr. King spew publicly will definately earn New Yorkers more points for being rude, loud and obnoxious.
Sign me
Republican, American, Human Compassionate and ashamed…
July 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I also believe he was being extorted by an opportunist in 2005. But do remember that he was facing a civil suit the first time around and evidence had been gathered. Including a picture of his privates that the kid had described for his lawyers. Michael settled out of court for 22M before it could go to trial. Hmmmmmm!!!
During the second trial, evidence was presented of MJ’s fingerprints as well as those of the children on pornographic material. Molestation??? Or maybe just a precautionary sex ed. class from Uncle Mike.
Either way, fingerprints on porn doesn’t constitute molestation and he was aquitted. More power to him. But he could have avoided the whole mess by remember the first time.
I will always look at him with a jaundiced eye.
July 6th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
NY Congressman Peter King, your words will come back to haunt you big time, and you deserve all the criticism you will surely get. To Ignatius Reilly, who wrote this article, you are even worse. Calling somebody a pedophile after the US justice system found him not guilty is wrong, and waiting until the person is dead to hurl your insults at him is disgusting. And finally for Dee Blevins, who recently posted his/her support for these two idiots, I’m sure NY is breathing a sigh of relief that you don’t live there. BTW Dee, what trailer park are you from?
July 6th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
MJ was found “not guilty”. It’s funny how old white men love the legal system until someone they don’t like is found “not guilty”. Just ask OJ…Peter King is a lowlife scumbag, sweaty, old man who will certainly lose his next attempt to grab power.
July 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Just because someone is found “not guilty of speeding” doesn’t negate the fact THEY WERE driving above the speed limit….likewise just because the courts didn’t convict Michael Jackson of sexual assault doesn’t reverse the fact HE was a self admitted pedophile who slept with those children. Michael admitted to setting up an elaborate security system to avoid being caught sleeping with those children, and he paid $22,000,000.00 million dollars in out of court settlements to avoid prosecution from other children.
So to be politically correct Congressman King should have said Michael Jackson is not a “criminal pedophile” he was a “civil pedophile”.
Just like OJ was not a “criminal murderer”, but rather a: “civil murderer”.
There are 22,000,000 pieces of proof that Michael was a man who slept with children, looked at pornography with them, and entered into “grey-areas” with them.
Our legal system is flawed, but what’s worse is the absolute stupidity some of the posters on this board have displayed. There are so many real heroes out there that deserve credit. That’s all Congressman King was stating. There are so many better role models for black men in 2009; like my boss who got back from Iraq last month, David Paterson, Kobe Bryant, LaVar Burton, Barrack Obama, Spike Lee, Samuel Jackson and others that; while imperfect men themselves, asked for forgiveness when they were wrong, and strived for a better life each day the sun came through their window the next day.
If I had a son or daughter who was part African American, and I could encourage their choice in role models, I would want them to focus on men of integrity, men like the aforementioned; not men like Michael who makes mockery of the very body God gave him.
July 6th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Peter King clearly had no idea what he was talking about, and it makes me sick to think that this is his way of getting some attention put on him by saying those horrible disgusting words. Michael Jackson was a unique individual who like everyone had the fantasy of never wanting to grow up – he was just lucky enough that he made it a reality for himself. Michael Jackson was the KING OF POP and will live on forever through his music – LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I am at the complete opposite end of the political spectrum from Peter King and while living on Long Island never once voted for him. However, I applaud him for saying what rational people have been thinking.
Go back and read early accounts of the police investigations of Jackson. Investigators traced his illicit activity with young boys back to the late 70’s. Jackson’s first young friend told police that as a young boy, Jackson coerced him into having phone sex. He never bothered pressing charges, as he viewed Jackson as “Troubled.”
Jackson’s behavior worsened over the years.
Many of the jurors at his trial later admitted to feeling that he was guilty of molestation, but did not feel that the state made a good enough case.
I am deeply ashamed of the way that the American public has chosen to remain so ignorant. Perhaps the truth is too painful – we have glorified a pedophile.
what does this say about the way we value our children?
July 6th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Way to go Congressman King! Finally somebody with the guts to say it like it is (or was). Joshua…great point about the servicemen killed this week. They did more for the country, and the world than all of Jackson’s “Moonwalks”. Where is the hordes of TV news people covering their lives, and deaths? Enough already! The man was a wierdo, and a pedophile. He’s dead…get over it!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
@ Tom, when your mother dies, I hope you “get over” that as well. Long live the King of Pop.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
And I will never understand why people have to dwell on the negative when people die. Everybody has closets. No one is perfect. And, for the record, sensationalism was here WAAAYYY before Obama. But, as always, you ignorant Repubes love to throw Obama under the bus any chance you get. So sad. No wonder nobody takes the GOP seriously. Obama’s in office, so “get over” that. As stated before, long live the King of Pop.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
In 1945 the people of Italy captured Mussolini and his mistress and killed them and then mocked them. More recently the people of Iraq tried and executed Saddam Hussein. They then celebrated. In this world there are countless numbers of children who are victimized by the likes of Michael Jackson. We should celebrate that this pervert can no longer hurt any more children. You and your collegues rather than observing a moment of silence should be rejoicing that this pervert is dead and be looking for ways to eliminate those who think his actions should be tolerated.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
“He was found not guilty on all 14 counts filed against him.”
Good point! Michael Jackson should have been jailed both for Jury Tampering and Statutory Rape. The only reason he was not was the same greed that made the parents of those children put them in peril in the first place.
Shame on the parents! Shame on the District Attorney! Same on anyone who thinks it is “cool” for a pedophile to sleep with young boys.
Peter King is right. He is more than that. The word “Hero” comes to mind.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Shame on you Congressman King. Where did you get your facts about Michael Jackson? You know the law or should know the law. Michael Jackson wasn’t found guilty of anything so why would you make it your business to slander a dead person’s name? You should be ashame of yourself.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
For all of you who say Michael is “innocent until proven guilty,” I hope you apply that same philosophy to:
OJ Simpson (who is only a thief not a murderer)
The police officers who beat Rodney King
Al Capone (who was only guilty of tax evasion)
KKK members who lynched blacks in the South in the early 20th century.
All of the above have never been convicted of what everyone knows they did.
BTW, if you actually followed the evidence in the case, it’s pretty darn clear Michael was guilty of the early accusations, regardless of whether he was actually ever convicted. I will concede he probably was not guilty in 2005.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I have to agree with joshua on post 8, our media has been biased and is only covering the appeasing side of the mj story. Half of the people idolizing him mind you, would most likely not have trusted their own children with mj over night! Perception is reality especially on so many accounts.
July 6th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Disclaimer: I am not a micheal jackson fan… congressman king it must feel really good to get that off your chest after holding it in so long..i never heard you take a stand one way or the other while the man was alive. how quickly we forget our national treasure elvis presley was a grown man when he wed fair priscilla- oh yes i did! the fact is that only 3 know for sure what if anything took place and none of them include p.king. true enough men and women are dying for this country but the congressman himself is part of a politically system that sends those same men and women to die. so please p.k. come down off the high horse- you are’nt any better than the tragic figure m.j.- i wasn’t a fan but at least i did’nt wait till he died to say what i felt. I think that’s cowardly and mean spirited.
July 6th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Peter King you proved other people’s say “NYorkers are rude”. How people can vote for you.
Have some respect for the dead. He is not even buried yet.
If you do not like him just change the channel or rent a movie at the blockbuster.
What should i expect from my child if he/she watches TV and especially your language.