Love him or hate him, Glenn Beck has posed a massive threat to the Progressive agenda within the past two years. It took Beck awhile to subscribe to strict constitutionalist positions such as those put forth by The John Birch Society many moons ago, but once he arrived, he has become an unstoppable force. Even Bob Cesca of the Huffington Post had to painfully admit that Beck should not be ignored as he boasts several millions of viewers daily and even more radio listeners.
Beck’s popularity and success has resulted in a backlash from the Left. He has been boycotted by the SEIU, Apple, Walmart, CVS, Best Buy, Travelocity, Marxist environmentalist Van Jones, whom Beck exposed as an extremist and ultimately forced his resignation, and Marxist activist Reverend Jim Wallis. Much to their dismay, however, Beck continues to trump his competition. So what’s the next step in the “anti-Glenn Beck movement”? New York Congressman Anthony Weiner has turned his attention to one of Beck’s leading sponsors, Goldline, as a means to discredit Beck.
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On May 18, Congressman Weiner filed a report that was critical of Goldline, a California-based gold dealer. Goldline is “coincidentally” one of Beck’s largest sponsors and vice versa. In the report, according to the Huffington Post, “Weiner harged that Goldine was using the hyperbolic — and at times fear-inducing — speech of its conservative business partners to encourage customers to buy the precious metal at highly-inflated prices.” In other words, because Beck continuously, and accurately, harps on the detrimental state of the American economy, by then supporting a company that offers alternative investments to his viewers, Beck creates a conflict of interest.
Weiner’s report determines that Goldline’s products “could be found much cheaper on similar precious coin seller’s websites.” He takes issue with the fact that Goldine encourages the sale of “numismatic coins (collector) over bullion (pure gold) because the company has the largest profit margin on them and the sales representatives make the largest commission.” In other words, Weiner begrudges Goldline for trying to turn a profit.
Weiner alleges that “Goldline rips off consumers,” and that Beck is manipulating public fears to help Goldline make a profit. So Congressman Weiner is simply looking out for Beck’s viewers, huh? One wonders what brought Goldline to Weiner’s attention in the first place, since Goldline has boasted an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and, in fact, has recently sent out a press release emphasizing this point in dispute of Weiner’s charges. In an industry full of “F”-rated gold companies, like Superior Gold Group LLC, My Gold Envelope, Money4Gold Holdings, Inc., etc., why would a business that has been assigned an “A+” rating pique Weiner’s interest?
The congressman continues to cite the existence of 40 complaints against Goldline as evidence of the company’s shady tactics, but given the company’s 50-year history, $525 million annual revenue, and nationwide service, 40 complaints seems like a drop in the ocean.
Likewise, Goldline has received top recognition from the LA Business Journal, as well as the New York Times, who reported that the Better Business Bureau felt compelled to investigate the company more closely after the attack from Weiner, and reaffirmed that there was no reason for the company’s ratings to change from “A+.”
In response to this report from the BBB, Weiner told Bill O’ Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor that the BBB may be guilty of fraud, and that Goldline may well have paid for their A+ rating. And yet, Weiner continues to assert that Beck is the “conspiracy theorist.” In truth, if Weiner was concerned that the BBB’s ratings could not be trusted based on the presumption of fraudulent practices, shouldn’t his investigation be focused on the Better Business Bureau and not Goldline or Glenn Beck ?
Needless to say, this dispute between Beck and Weiner has turned into an all-out smackdown. Both Beck and Weiner have appeared on The O’Reilly Factor and used the opportunity to take shots at one another. When Beck appeared on the show, he oh so subtly consumed a “weiner,” topped with ketchup and mustard, while he proceeded to explain that the attack by the Congressman is an example of Leftist McCarthyism. Beck asserted, “Here’s a guy who’s trying to tell an A+ Better Business Bureau-rated company how to do business when he has been nailed twice for financial improprieties.” Here, Beck refers to a $47,000 fine against Weiner because of financial misconduct during his reelection campaign and a $28,000 loan made to one of Weiner’s campaign committees by his own parents.
Beck has even created a mock website, solely intended to poke fun at the Congressman, full of stories and embarrassing data involving Weiner: weinerfacts.com.
When Weiner appeared on the O’Reilly Factor, O’ Reilly pointed out that he “singled out one company, when you can make a complaint about every company.” O’ Reilly went on to describe Weiner’s attack on Goldline as a “witch hunt.” Maintaining his composure, Weiner accused O’Reilly of defending Goldline in much the same way as Beck and challenged Beck “to dispute the premise of the report.”
Beck will have the opportunity to do so on The O’Reilly Factor when he will appear again on Thursday, May 27, with Weiner appearing as a follow-up on Friday, May 28. When O’Reilly asked if the Congressman would be willing to engage in an open debate with Beck on The O’Reilly Factor, Weiner agreed and said, “We should have some hot dogs, and some Becks beers, and we should, you know, have some fun.”
Photo of Glenn Beck: AP Images
