Byron Williams

Accused Oakland, CA Shooter: Glenn Beck 'Blew My Mind'

Jillian Rayfield | October 11, 2010, 2:04PM

In audio interviews obtained by MediaMatters, accused shooter Byron Williams says Fox News host Glenn Beck "blew my mind" with "the things he exposed."

Williams is charged with allegedly opening fire on police on Interstate 580 in Oakland, California, while on his way to "start a revolution" by attacking members of the ACLU and the Tides Foundation. As we've reported, the Tides Foundation is a favorite punching bag of Glenn Beck's, and he counts the group among his cabal of liberals aiming to bring socialism to America.

Read more »

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck: I Stand By Criticism Of Tides -- It's Not My Fault CA Gunman Targeted Them (VIDEO)

Jillian Rayfield | July 30, 2010, 1:58PM

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck denied yesterday that his long history of criticizing the Tides Foundation had anything to do with the alleged targeting of the group by Byron Williams, the anti-government gunman suspected of engaging in a shootout with police in Oakland, California, possibly while he was on his way to targeting Tides and the ACLU.

"I expose the Tides Foundation and show you what it is, and I am now responsible for terrorists attacks?" Beck asked.

As we've reported, the fairly obscure Tides Foundation has been brought up several times on Beck's show, characterized as part of what Beck sees as a conspiracy by President Obama and other left-wing people and organizations to spread socialism.

Read more »

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck Defends Bashing Non-Profit Targeted By CA Shooting Suspect (AUDIO)

Jillian Rayfield | July 26, 2010, 3:39PM

TV host Glenn Beck.

On his radio show today, Glenn Beck defended repeatedly trashing the Tides Foundation over the last year -- saying that he is just trying to "turn the light of day" onto the organization -- even after it was allegedly among the planned targets of an anti-government gunman in California.

Beck's focus on the Tides Foundation has been scrutinized in recent days, after it was reported as being among the targets of Byron Williams, the California gunman charged after a shootout with authorities on an Oakland, California highway. Williams allegedly planned to target Tides and the ACLU.

Read more »

Tides Foundation

Organization Targeted By Anti-Gov't CA Shooting Suspect Was Frequent Topic On Glenn Beck's Show (VIDEO)

Jillian Rayfield | July 21, 2010, 4:40PM

TV host Glenn Beck.

The Tides Foundation, which prosecutors in California say was among the targets of the anti-government unemployed carpenter Byron Williams before he got into a chaotic shootout with several law enforcement officers Sunday, is also a favorite topic of Fox News host Glenn Beck.

Beginning in 2009 (and as recently as last week), Beck has repeatedly included the group -- along with ACORN, the SEIU and George Soros -- in his cabal of liberals and liberal organizations that are supposedly agents of President Obama's plan to spread Marxist and socialist ideas throughout the United States.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Beck necessarily inspired or influenced Williams' alleged plan to attack the Tides Foundation. But the group has been something of a whipping boy for Beck over the last year.

Read more »