Fox Contradicts Own Reporting To Deem St. John's Reverend The “Obama Pastor”

Fox News' on-screen text misleadingly identified Rev. Luis Leon as the “Obama pastor” after President Obama attended worship services at Leon's St. John's Church, contradicting Fox's own reporting. The Fox text echoed other right-wing media attempts to attack the president for attending a sermon that referenced political issues, even while Fox News host Megyn Kelly admitted dozens of presidents have attended Leon's services.  

Obama and his family attended Easter Sunday services at St. John's Church, known as “The Church of the Presidents.” According to church history, every president since James Monroe has attended worship services at the church, which even has a “Presidential Pew” reserved for the president's use when he's attending. The Obamas are not members of the church.

During this year's Easter sermon, St. John's Reverend Luis Leon touched on politics and “the religious right,” prompting Fox's Megyn Kelly to host a debate on the appropriateness of Leon's comments. Kelly acknowledged that dozens of presidents have attended St. John's services and noted that Rev. Leon previously delivered the invocations at the second inaugurations of both Presidents George W. Bush and Obama.

But even as Kelly spoke, text aired on screen dismissed her words and deemed Rev. Leon to be the “Obama Pastor”:

Fox's text echoes the trumped-up relationship also pushed by Fox Nation and other right-wing media.