For instruction on the Constitution, Tea Party Caucus leader turns to ... Fox

Any Fox News fan will tell you that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is one of Fox's favorite members of Congress. To Special Report anchor Bret Baier, she's "[a]ttractive, energetic, a GOP headliner." To Fox Business host Andrew Napolitano, she's a “well-known expert on the Constitution.” To Glenn Beck, she's “one of the good guys,” and according to him, we “need more people like” her in office.

To other members of Congress, Bachmann is also the founder of the House Tea Party Caucus, and Bachmann has said that in this role, she plans to start holding classes on the Constitution for members of Congress.

Last month, Bachmann returned some of the respect that Fox News has shown her by asking Napolitano to help teach these classes.

While Napolitano was guest-hosting the October 12 edition of Glenn Beck, Bachmann said to him: “I'm asking experts from around the country to come in every week and teach our constitutional principles. And Judge, I'll ask you right now on national TV if you'll come in and be one of our experts and lead our members of Congress in these principles.” She continued, “I'm serious about this, because we have to make sure that they know what it is that we're swearing to uphold”:

Napolitano sidestepped the question and moved on: “I'm deeply flattered about the offer, Congresswoman, and I thank you for it. But do you agree with me about the reasons for the rise of the Tea Party?”

Today on Napolitano's Fox Business show, Freedom Watch, Napolitano let us in on whether he would, in fact, help teach Republican members of Congress about the Constitution -- and make no mistake, the members of the Tea Party Caucus are all Republicans:

While hosting Bachmann and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Napolitano said, “Senator DeMint, I don't know if you can see my face, but I'm smiling, because the last time Congresswoman Bachmann and I talked about this, she asked me to be the teacher at these courses on the Constitution.”

Bachmann interjected, “Well, at least one,” and Napolitano continued: “I'm not looking for another job. I work 14 hours a day here.”

That makes sense. Given all the time Napolitano spends promoting insane conspiracy theories with 9-11 Truth leader Alex Jones and musing with Glenn Beck about whether the federal government should privatize the military, it's obvious that he's a pretty busy guy. (He spends plenty of time repeating standard-issue right-wing falsehoods on Fox, too.)

Napolitano's association with Jones should give everyone pause -- News Corp. executives and Republican members of Congress alike. As we've noted, Napolitano hosted Jones when Freedom Watch was an online show. Napolitano is also a regular guest on Jones' show and has called Jones a “dear friend” who “we go to” because of “your zeal and your courage and your fearlessness in exposing” the government.

The Anti-Defamation League wrote that “Jones may currently well be the most prominent conspiracy theorist in the United States,” and with good reason. Jones believes in the existence of a New World Order conspiracy by global elites, that the U.S. government was responsible for the 9-11 attacks, that the federal government has created secret FEMA death camps, and that the BP oil spill was a deliberate act.

Given that this is the kind of information that Napolitano praises Jones for “exposing,” Bachmann should be grateful that Napolitano declined her offer.