ANOTHER FAUX NEWS LIE

David Neiwert of Crooks & Liars has caught Stuart Varney lying about Pres. Obama and the Churchill bust "issue."  Varney claims (1) that the Obama Administration was asked about the bust; (2) that there was an official reply; (3) that reply stated that Pres. Obama returned the bust because of his dislike of British imperialism in Kenya.  Here's the relevant part of the transcript:

KELLY: But the thing about the bust -- has the White House ever come out publicly to explain why they sent that bust back?

VARNEY: It was apparently because President Obama's father, who was a native Kenyan --

KELLY: Have they admitted that?


VARNEY: I believe that is out there. I've not read the formal statement. But an explanation was requested. And the explanation was that Obama's father, being a native Kenyan, disliked the British colonial rule in Kenya, which ended in 1963.

I searched both the White House site and the State Dept. site for "Churchill bust" and there's NOTHING at either site.

CBS News relayed an AP report that the decision to return the loaned Churchill bust was made before Pres. Obama took office:

Obama Has Made the Oval Office His Own
Each Change Obama Makes to His Workspace Is Closely Watched for Symbolism
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2010

White House curator William Allman ...

Some Britons took offense when Winston Churchill's bust was replaced with King's. But the decision to return the Churchill bust to the British - it had been presented by former Prime Minister Tony Blair to Bush on loan - had been made before Obama even arrived.

"It was already scheduled to go back," Allman said.