Conservative political commentator Rush Limbaugh said Krystal Ball, the news anchor on Rising with the Hill’s Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, “posed nude when she was 14 or 15.” Since that statement, Ball’s old party photos resurfaced online.
However, none of the old photos, first leaked in 2010 during her failed bid for Congress, show her posing nude.
Limbaugh made the allegation during his radio show on September 4, while talking about how people’s social media activity can return to haunt them later.
Limbaugh tried to illustrate his argument by making an example of Krystal Ball.
“Remember the name Krystal Ball with a K? Some thought she was attractive,” Limbaugh said. “She was running for Congress, and she got elected, and some tweets came out.”
He alleged that Ball had posed nude as a teenager and that the photos resurfaced online when she was running for congress in 2010.
However, Ball responded to Limbaugh’s allegation by explaining that the photos were leaked private photos. She also revealed and that she was not nude in any of the pictures (see them in the 2012 YouTube video below).
The Hill's reporter Krystal Ball explains those racy photos. https://t.co/HOyj7yN2bs
— Michael W. Chapman (@ChapmanCNSNews) September 13, 2019
She also explained that the photos, which show her posing with a sex toy, were taken after she had left college. She was not a teenager at the time.
So I have some sort of weird personal/public news. The other day on his show, Rush Limbaugh went on at length about how I posed nude when I was 14 or 15 (I did not.) I've been thinking for a few days about how to deal with this. Partly I didn't really want to call more attention.
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) September 12, 2019
Maybe just ignore it and move on. But the reality is, his show has millions of listeners and the transcript is readily available online. I didn't want this slut-shaming smear just hanging out there. I'm also lucky enough to have a platform to set the record straight.
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) September 12, 2019
But maybe the next person who get's smeared will not. I didn't want him to think he could just slime anyone with impunity. Most importantly though, if I did "pose nude" at 14, so fucking what? Should women be barred from public service because they have bodies and sexuality?
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) September 12, 2019
Limbaugh doesn't get to be the morality police and I won't stand by when slut-shaming is being used to undermine yet another woman, even when that woman is me. Here are his full comments and my full response. Also for the record @esaagar is the greatest. https://t.co/uV3jU9MjDu
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) September 12, 2019
Ball’s co-host, Saagar Enjeti, also reacted to Limbaugh’s comments.
It's disgusting what Rush said about @krystalball. She's well within her rights to sue him. She gives her full response here and I'm with her 100% -> https://t.co/ko9BvOhHj5
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) September 12, 2019
This is so gross.
Earlier this week, Rush Limbaugh lied on his radio program and said that @krystalball posed for nude photos when she was 14 or 15.
Watch her respond to him. So glad you're doing this Krystal and glad to see you have the support of @esaagar pic.twitter.com/lcF6YB9dsi
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) September 12, 2019
Read this whole thread from @krystalball. I want to lift this up because not only has #RushLbaugh lied…once again…just stop shaming women, especially young women and girls if they do choose to show themselves. Their full selves. #Shame on the shamers. https://t.co/IEkjDKkZpD
— Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) September 12, 2019
But some noted that Rush Limbaugh issued a correction of his statement that Ball posed nude.
Rush broadcast a correction yesterday, @KrystalBall, but you'll never mention that. "Correction: Krystal Ball Never Posed Nude" https://t.co/mG6XHSI4fT https://t.co/TSzmV4C4AQ
— Not a bully… (@FrankFFurter) September 13, 2019
This controversy is not the first time Ball has been forced to talk publicly about the photos. She released a statement after the photos were first leaked in 2010 when she was running to represent Virginia’s 1st congressional district in the House of Representatives.
The Hill's reporter Krystal Ball explains those racy photos. https://t.co/HOyj7yN2bs
— Michael W. Chapman (@ChapmanCNSNews) September 13, 2019
“It’s sexist and it’s wrong, regardless of political party,” she said in her statement. “And I have a message for any young woman who is thinking about running for office and has ever attended a costume party with her husband or done anything stupid on camera. Run for office. Fight for this country. Don’t let this sort of tactic deter you.”