*Bill Cosby has been on a sliding scale with various companies and organizations since sexual assault and drugging allegations surfaced, but if one politician has his way, the White House may be next in line to sever ties with the comic legend.
Time cites a bill Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar introduced that will allow President Barack Obama to revoke Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The move comes after Obama was asked about rescinding the honor back in July. According to the commander-in-chief, there was “no precedent for revoking a medal” under law. With Gosar’s bill on the table, White House press secretary Josh Earnest admitted that Obama will have to “take a look” at the possibility of revoking Cosby’s Medal of Honor.
“It’s something that Congress will have to consider,” Earnest told ABC News. “We’ll take a look at the proposal if Congress takes a vote on it and we’ll let you know if the President chooses to sign it.”
If Gosar’s bill goes through, it would be the latest blow to Cosby, who has seen his legacy take serious hits since the dozens of women came forward with the sexual assault and drugging accusations. Those taking back their honors for the entertainer include Spelman College, which discontinued Cosby’s endowed professorship; Drexel, Brown, and Fordham Universities, which revoked the Cosby’s honorary degrees; Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which removed a statue in Cosby’s likeness and New York University, which removed “William H. Cosby” from the name of its Future Filmmakers Workshop.
Cosby, who was recently charged with aggravated indecent assault, currently faces up to ten years in prison. He is expected in court regarding the case on Thursday (Jan. 14).
Although he didn’t slam Cosby directly, Obama voiced his disgust with the act of rape while defining the action in regard to the allegations made against the TV icon.
“If you give a woman — or a man, for that matter — without his or her knowledge a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape,” said Obama.
Upon discussing Cosby’s Medal of Freedom, Earnest harkened back to the president’s comments, saying “Symbolic commemorations are always difficult to deal with.
“But I think the President was quite clear in that news conference in showing his own personal disgust for the kind of behavior that Mr. Cosby is accused of, and you know the President made clear that he doesn’t have any tolerance for it,” he said.
So what say you? Should Obama revoke Cosby’s Medial of Freedom or should the honor remain with the comedian?
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
