Chairman Walden: Limbaugh Comments Reprehensible, But Speech Should Still Be Free

Appearing on C-SPAN’s The Communicators, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said that he had "no use" for Rush Limbaugh's comments about a birth control advocate. He said Limbaugh's comments on his radio show were "completely reprehensible," but he also said there was fault on both sides of the political spectrum and suggested the comments should not be used to suppress political speech.

Chairman Walden pointed out that he was a former broadcaster -- he owned radio stations. "We had talk shows and we would never have put up with that." But, he added, "it has happened on the left and the right." He also said he was a "First Amendment guy" and didn't want "some city council thinking they are in charge of political speech." That was a reference to reports that Limbaugh was mentioned in an L.A. city Council Resolution last week calling on broadcasters "not to use and promote racist and sexist slurs." Chairman Walden said it was not the council's place to decide what is appropriate or not. "This is America. Free speech is good, it should be vigorous...what are you going to do, lock people up?"