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RTÉ received 27 formal complaints after contributor to US inauguration coverage called Joe Biden a 'criminal'

The broadcaster also received over 90 emails and a number of phone calls with “negative feedback” over the broadcast.

RTÉ HAS RECEIVED 27 formal complaints over its coverage of the inauguration of Joe Biden yesterday, where a commentator referred to the new US President as a “criminal”.

It also received 92 emails and three phone calls with negative feedback, a spokesperson for the State broadcaster said this evening. 

The coverage featured a number of contributors and was hosted by presenter and former Washington correspondent Caitríona Perry. 

It was subsequently criticised after comments made by one commentator.

During the broadcast, James Conner of Republicans Overseas called Joe Biden and Kamala Harris “two frauds” and falsely claimed one was “a bona fide criminal”.

Conner was previously criticised following an appearance on the Today programme with Philip Boucher-Hayes a fortnight ago, when he suggested Antifa was to blame for the attack by supporters of Donald Trump on the US Capitol.

Following Biden’s inauguration as US President, Conner said “there you have it, two frauds sworn in” and added that one was a “bona fide criminal, complicit in the violation of multiple directives”.

Perry intervened to say “you don’t have evidence of that here James”.

Labour TD Aodhan Ó Ríordáin and Rise TD Paul Murphy were among those critical of RTÉ’s decision to put him on the programme. 

A spokesperson for RTÉ this evening confirmed that it received one email with negative feedback following Conner’s appearance on the Today programme on 7 January. 

“In relation to his contribution to the US Inauguration coverage on Wednesday afternoon, RTÉ has received 27 formal complaints,” the spokesperson added. “RTÉ also received 92 emails and three phone calls with negative feedback.”

With reporting from Rónán Duffy

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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:04 PM

    Snowflakes

    317
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    Mute Kris Kendellen
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:15 PM

    @Al.Dunne: yea. We should all be allowed call everyone whatever we like with no evidence. I wonder what we should call u?

    350
    Ned
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    Mute Ned
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:19 PM

    @Al.Dunne: ya people with nothing else to do except complain about everything and anything always whinging about something

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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:46 PM

    @Kris Kendellen: u can call me Sir.

    Have u never been online?

    Did u cry the same at Russia gate allegations, or did you join the choir of lemmings ?

    55
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    Mute Lad_The
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:48 PM

    @Al.Dunne: you’re a criminal and a fraud.
    I’ve no evidence but apparently that’s optional

    86
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    Mute NOlivesmatter
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:57 PM

    @Lad_The:

    So with your logic, all those leftie loon T.D.’s and people claiming that George 2 death was racially motivated should be allowed to air their views also?

    20
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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:58 PM

    @Lad_The: and guess what, I’m over it !!

    5
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    Mute Noelp Watson
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:18 PM

    @Kris Kendellen:
    Seems a lack of boundaries

    2
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    Mute Lad_The
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:20 PM

    @NOlivesmatter: think you need to take a course in sarcasm.

    10
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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jan 21st 2021, 10:45 PM

    @Ned: says the person complaining about people expecting commentators on our national airwaves to be factual in their reporting. The irony is strong with you.

    20
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    Mute NOlivesmatter
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    Jan 21st 2021, 11:56 PM

    @EillieEs:

    hahahah….the media has a #biasedmedia bad name for a reason here

    7
    Ned
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    Mute Ned
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 2:12 AM

    @EillieEs: not sure are you confused or trying to say something?

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 5:59 AM

    @Ned: I’ve already said it, sorry if you’ve a limited understanding of the English language.

    5
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    Mute White Rhino
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 7:23 AM

    @Ned: there’s an information war going on dopey; people are fighting for the truth to save your future skin

    5
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    Mute Itsonlyme
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:10 PM

    Would have thought RTE would have learned their lesson after Conner’s contribution during the election coverage….

    232
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    Mute #1 Fifthwheel
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:47 PM

    My complaint is that rte allowed him on in the first place…..

    199
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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:59 PM

    @#1 Fifthwheel: Exactly! Saw him before, its not like they didn’t know what he was like. Media are just as culpable for fanning flames allowing these hideous characters on TV over here. For what? For clickbait? Journalistic integrity my hole. They may need to edit their constantly playing ads about that.

    123
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:50 PM

    @Glenn Halpin: it alway puzzles me why people prefer the insipid rte news, to the more professional and worldly bbc, sky, itv etc
    Rte looks more like amateurs playing at being professionals.

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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Jan 21st 2021, 10:41 PM

    @Victor Feldman: not great examples there lad, but I get your point. Try Aljazeera.

    15
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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    Jan 21st 2021, 11:54 PM

    @Victor Feldman: Sky news is British propaganda at its best, to call them professional is suspect at best. Channel 4 news seems to call it as it is…….

    18
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    Mute Hotirish
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 9:12 AM

    @Victor Feldman: I know what you are saying but I guess it’s cuz it covers Ireland, where we’re from like!

    9
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    Mute Mike Burry
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:22 PM

    He is right…

    164
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    Mute Rachel Dawson
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:53 PM

    @Mike Burry: Get lost seditionist

    111
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    Mute Paul Whitehead
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:16 PM

    @Mike Burry: can you name the case and date of trial? Think not.

    75
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    Mute Peter Denham
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:44 PM

    @Mike Burry: Joe Biden is a saint and will fix everything wrong in the world. If you don’t agree then you must be a Trump fanatic.

    51
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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:12 PM

    @Peter Denham: well he does appear rather saintly compared to the hateful Trump.

    45
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    Mute Teddy Bear
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:33 PM

    @Mike Burry: crying bitter tears into your breakfast cereal are we?

    21
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    Mute Joe Rugby
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    Jan 21st 2021, 7:06 PM

    Barely a hundred complaints to RTE on this and yet hundreds more for inferring a makey uppy fictional supreme being is a deviant. The mind boggles.

    104
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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    Jan 21st 2021, 11:55 PM

    @Joe Rugby: yawn….

    16
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    Mute Joe Rugby
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 1:01 AM

    @Sean Higgins: nice retort Sean.

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    Mute Eddie Michael
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:14 PM

    Why do we swoon over the yanks…

    62
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    Mute Peter Denham
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:42 PM

    @Eddie Michael: I don’t understand why there is no objectivity, people pretending Biden is a saint are just embarrassing. Trump was bad and Biden is the lesser of two evils, nothing more. The attempts to build him up in Irish media is cringe.

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:06 PM

    @Peter Denham:

    It’s Joe that is pushing his Irish heritage, wouldn’t you agree?

    His 8 years as VP to B. O’ Bama, witnessing the unearthing of latter’s distance cousins in Moneygall, obviously opened his eyes to future possibilities for mobilizing the massive Irish American vote. And how spectacularly successful that strategy was for him on Nov 3rd last?

    Read somewhere that Joe has much later English heritage running through him to any Irish, but this doesn’t seem to be as tradable with the punters at Election time in USA.

    Good old St Patrick, who by all accounts was a Welshman!

    35
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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:11 PM

    @Peter Denham: I’m someone who’s very relieved Biden was elected. Trump was a disaster, not only for US citizens but also for the planet with his environmental policies and climate change and science denial. One only has to read some of the toxic comments here on TheJournal from his cultists to see how much his divisive rhetoric has spread.

    38
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    Mute Teddy Bear
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:34 PM

    @Rory J Leonard: that why he’s not playing ball with the brits then re Brexit? What a load of codswallop

    10
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    Mute Peter Denham
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    Jan 21st 2021, 9:58 PM

    @EillieEs: I’m glad to see the back of Trump too. I understand that in comparison Biden looks much better, but he has a very questionable political past (see Kamela Harris’ comments during their debate.) The adoration being shown towards Biden is ludicrous.

    20
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    Mute Sense of Doubt
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    Jan 21st 2021, 10:39 PM

    @Peter Denham:
    They always do that to Democrats. The opposite with Republicans. It is traditional Irish media political bias. The Democrats are always heroic and just and brave. The Republicans are always evil Nazis,
    They just can’t help themselves. It really does severly damage their credibility. To be taken with a pinch of salt.

    15
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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jan 21st 2021, 11:15 PM

    @Peter Denham: very few reach adulthood, never mind 78 years of age, without having a past. Republicans and Democrats alike say he’s one of the few politicians who can get both sides to compromise to get bills through. He’s already reversed Trump’s appalling environmental policies and has nominated the most diverse cabinet picks ever which seem to favour people over corporate profits such as a Native American for the Dept of the Interior, a pro-union politician for the Dept of Labour and an advocate for affordable healthcare and women’s healthcare for the Dept of Health and Human Services. Time will tell how much he can achieve but he’s certainly a breath of fresh air after Trump.

    25
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    Mute Joe ryan
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    Jan 21st 2021, 8:40 PM

    Calling politicians criminals, the cheek of this guy

    54
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    Mute Mark C
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 6:46 AM

    Sending your son around the world to collect cheques for access to a VP is a crime

    24
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    Mute Siobhan O'Sullivan Morrin
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 10:24 AM

    @Mark C: evidence?

    7
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    Mute John Farrant
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 9:01 AM

    How many complaints did RTE get about people slagging off Trump ????

    19
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    Mute Stephen Mccarney
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    Jan 21st 2021, 11:08 PM

    Complaints… Jesus wept.
    Time for us all to grow some cahunas and stop whining

    18
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 10:29 AM

    RTE ,s coverage of the new information concerning the leaking of confidential government documents and the fact Varadkar and Harris lied to the Dail as usual seemed to have escaped the attention of our so called national broadcaster.

    11
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    Mute Yolita Ferue
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 12:24 PM

    Jesus, I bet these people can’t bear to hear that he’s been accused of sexual assault too. It’s very important that the media and everyone pretends Joe has a clean reputation. Think happy thoughts about Joe Biden, say happy things about him, otherwise if you don’t, there will be consequences from the monster in the Twilight zone. Just by using his mind, the monster took away automobiles, the electricity, the machines-because they displeased him-and he moved an entire community back in the dark ages. Remember think happy thoughts about Joe Biden and say happy things about him. Big Brother is watching you!

    10
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    Mute John Joseph Martin
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 2:17 PM

    That this patriarch of the Biden crime family is president says something terrible about America today.

    5
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    Mute Michael Maher
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    Jan 22nd 2021, 6:53 PM

    Why do people listen to the always negative Paul Murphy,

    1
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