State Crackdown

This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," August 25, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.

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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: "Impact" segment tonight. We are ready to declare two more states in our quest to get Jessica's Law (search) passed across the country. Arkansas moves into the yellow category. Governor Huckabee and the legislature are not moving on tougher mandatory sentencing laws. And the legislature doesn't even meet again until the year 2007, if you can believe it.

Wisconsin, however, goes into the purple category, purple being Jessica Lunsford's (search) favorite color. Some politicians there are taking aggressive action to get Jessica's Law passed.

Now both states have stories to tell. In Arkansas, a man named Lester Brown (search) has just been freed from prison, on probation after serving two years for ready, sexually assaulting two girls ages 7 and 9. He was charged with raping them and plead down. Two years. What say you, Governor Huckabee?

In Wisconsin, two professors teaching at the university in Madison have been convicted of sex crimes against children, but haven't been fired.

Joining us now from Madison is Wisconsin state rep Scott Suder, who will introduce a tough new sentencing law for child predators next week.

Let's deal with these professors. Louis Keefe Cohen, literature professor, low-level beef on a 14-year-old, some kind of Internet chat. He got convicted, 30 days in jail.

But Roberto Coronado, medical school professor, convicted of assaulting three young girls over a 10-year period. He gets eight years in prison. Not nearly enough, by the way. And he didn't even get fired, correct?

SCOTT SUDER, WISCONSIN STATE REPRESENTATIVE: That's correct. He is still on the university payroll. He is being given vacation pay while he's in jail.

O'REILLY: Oh, my God!

SUDER: And aside from the minimum sentence, the university refuses to fire him. They claim that they have to go through their own internal investigation process to determine whether or not child rape constitutes grounds for dismissal at the university. This is outrageous, Bill.

O'REILLY: This University of Wisconsin at Madison (search), one of the most liberal colleges in the country's history, not just in the country, this guy's making $138,000 a year. And you're sitting there telling me he's getting paid this salary by the taxpayers of Wisconsin, while he's in jail for molesting three young girls over a 10-year period? You're telling me that?

SUDER: March 15, this man plead no contest. He was sentenced. He still received his full salary.

Just last Friday, he was sent to jail. And then the University of Wisconsin decided, well, we're going to do our own internal review process...

O'REILLY: Unbelievable.

SUDER: ...to determine whether or not this man should be dismissed. We've called — I've called for his firing. Nine of the legislators have now called, along with myself, for a full list of serious felons at UW.

O'REILLY: Here's what you — you're going to introduce this tough new sentencing law 25 years minimum first offense next week. And we applaud you.

Governor Doyle, I don't know whether he's going to support you or not. He's a slippery kind of guy, the governor.

OK, you know him.

SUDER: Well...

O'REILLY: You know, he's going to put his finger — not a crusader for the kids. He's going to put his finger up to the wind.

But why don't you introduce another bill, with all due respect, and say if you don't fire this guy, you're not going to get any state funding?

SUDER: Well, that's something we've thought about...

O'REILLY: Yes.

SUDER: ...and something we're probably going to introduce.

Look, if you're a felon in the University of Wisconsin system...

O'REILLY: Yes.

SUDER: Or maybe even the state system alone, you shouldn't be working. And now, these are serious felonies. But if you've committed child rape, child enticement...

O'REILLY: It's...

SUDER: ...why on earth would these...

O'REILLY: ...beyond belief. It makes Ward Churchill (search) thing in Colorado look like Shirley Temple.

But what I'm trying to get across to the good people of Wisconsin and all the people watching us all across the world is this stuff happens the time. There is no accountability in the university systems. The governor of the state, he doesn't — does he care about this at all?

SUDER: Well, he's been rather silent on this issue. And we've been kicking and dragging the University of Wisconsin, kicking and screaming, to even give us a list of felons, much less fire these professors who have committed very serious felonies...

O'REILLY: I mean...

SUDER: ...and are still on the state taxpayer rolls.

O'REILLY: The fact this guy only got eight years in prison for molesting three little girls over 10 years, that's why your bill is needed that you'll introduce next week. All right? He should be doing...

SUDER: We're going to do 25-years.

O'REILLY: You should be 25-year mandatory minimum.

O'REILLY: And the second thing that the good people of Wisconsin are paying this guy $138,000 per year. It's off the chart.

So let us know, Mr. Suder. We're very interested in Governor Doyle here. This — because if he's on your side, then he's on our side. If he opposes you in these two areas, in getting this Coronado accountable by the university in getting this law passed, please let us know because he's the guy. He's the leader.

And we really appreciate your good work. You're doing just what you should do, Mr. Suder. Thanks very much.

Bill, we're going to send a bill to the governor's desk and we'll have it to him very soon.

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