HBO’s Real Time host Bill Maher defended Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, saying he is “not down” with fining someone for speaking their opinion.
Del Rio was fined $100,000 after calling the Capitol riot a “dust-up” in comparison to the 2020 riots following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Del Rio later apologized, calling his choice of words “irresponsible and negligent.”
“They fined him, the team fined him, $100,000 for this opinion. Fining people for an opinion. I am not down with that,” Maher said Friday.
HBO’s @BillMaher denounces $100,000 fine on Jack Del Rio. “He has a right to be wrong….Fining people for an opinion. I’m not down with that.” Re coach Ron Rivera saying he has constitutional right to voice his opinion, “Don’t pee on my shoe and tell me it’s raining.” #RealTime pic.twitter.com/o4yAc1grdJ
— Brent Baker 🇺🇦 (@BrentHBaker) June 18, 2022
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Commanders head coach Ron Rivera issued a statement on social media, noting that Del Rio has the “right to voice his opinion” but that “words have consequences.”
Maher blasted Rivera for saying Del Rio has the right to speak his opinion.
“Apparently not! You know what? This is the ‘don’t pee on my shoe and tell me it’s raining,’” Maher said. “What the f*** are you talking about? He doesn’t have a right to an opinion. And it’s obviously not his right to do so.”
“So either say you’re against free speech, but don’t tell me this,” Maher added.
Guests Krystal Ball and James Kirchick agreed.
“No, it’s absurd. And he should be allowed to express his opinion, and people should be allowed to criticize him for it,” Kirchick said.
“People can have sh***y takes,” Ball added. “You know, it’s not a crime to have a sh***y take.”
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Maher concurred: “To have a s****y take is not a crime.”
