This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor", February 5, 2004.

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BILL O’REILLY, HOST: Some black leaders are outraged by the reported dismissal of Janet Jackson (search) from the Grammy (search) telecast.

Joining us now from Los Angeles is Najee Ali, the executive director of The Project Islamic Hope Concern.

All right, Mr. Ali, what say you?

NAJEE ALI, PROJECT ISLAMIC HOPE: Hi, Bill. Thanks for having me, again. And first of all, I want everyone to be real clear. Our organization does not support what Janet Jackson did or condone it, but we cannot condone what the Grammys are doing as far as stripping Janet Jackson of her role in being allowed to participate in the program.

We feel it's very hypocritical that someone like R. Kelly, someone who should be in jail, someone who is facing almost two dozen counts and charges for sexual abuse, sexual molestation of a minor, and possessing child pornography is allowed to be at the Grammys, but someone like Janet Jackson, who has committed no crime, all of a sudden has been disinvited from the Grammys.

O'REILLY: All right.

ALI: That's a double standard and hypocritical.

O'REILLY: Now R. Kelly, though, I don't believe he's part of the show. He's just showing up and hoping he wins, right?

ALI: Well, that's correct, but...

O'REILLY: All right, so I don't know if the Grammy...

ALI: ...the fact is R. Kelly has to be invited.

O'REILLY: ...I guess the Grammy people could keep him out of there, but I think it'll be tough because he hasn't convicted of anything. He's still pending. He's out on bail. I think that might be hard.

But the Jackson situation comes down to this, Mr. Ali. Now your organization, all right, and your religion teaches that people should be accountable and responsible for their actions. Now Janet Jackson has apologized. And I, as an American, have accepted her apology, by the way. I want everybody to know that.

However, there's always a bit of punishment after you do something wrong, even if you do apologize. And this seems to be in context inappropriate. If I were CBS and she did to me what she did to CBS, I certainly would say you're not welcome on the Grammy broadcast as a punishment for what you did to us during the Superbowl. What's wrong with that?

ALI: And Bill, the fact is no one's saying that Janet should not be punished or held accountable.

O'REILLY: This is her punishment.

ALI: I agree that what Janet did was wrong. I'm saying the punishment is too severe and is too strict. I feel that CBS is being hypocritical.

O'REILLY: Oh, come on.