The Wikipedia entry was edited on Tuesday to add Paul’s recitation of it. Maddow: Second Wiki ripoff by Paul

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow says she has uncovered a second speech in which Sen. Rand Paul took material from Wikipedia to describe a movie.

On Monday, Maddow compared Paul’s speech that day at Liberty University to the Wikipedia entry on “Gattaca” and found several nearly verbatim passages. On her show on Tuesday night, she pointed to a March 19 speech that Paul gave at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in which he talked about the movie “Stand and Deliver.”


“In the area of East L.A., in 1982, in an environment that values a quick fix on education over learning, Escalante was a new math teacher at Garfield High School,” Paul said.

Wikipedia reads: “In the area of East Los Angeles, California, in 1982, in an environment that values a quick fix over education and learning, Jaime ‘Kemo’ Escalante is a new teacher at Garfield High School.”

“As the year progressed, he was able to win over the attention of students by implementing innovative teaching techniques. He transformed even some of the most troublesome teens into dedicated students,” Paul continued.

That compares to Wikipedia: “As the year progresses, he is able to win over the attention of the students by implementing innovative teaching techniques. He is able to transform even the most troublesome teens into dedicated students.”

“While Escalante was teaching basic arithmetic and algebra, he realized his students had far greater potential. He decided to teach them calculus,” Paul said.

From Wikipedia: “While Escalante teaches basic arithmetic and elementary and intermediate algebra, he realizes that his students have far more potential. He decides to teach them calculus.”

“Despite concerns and skepticism of other teachers who said, ‘You can’t teach logarithms to illiterates,’ Escalante nonetheless develops a program in which his students can eventually take AP calculus in their senior year,” Paul said.

Wikipedia: “Despite concerns and skepticism of other teachers, who feel that ‘you can’t teach logarithms to illiterates,’ Escalante nonetheless develops a program in which his students can eventually take Advanced Placement Calculus by their senior year.”

Maddow found the March 19 speech video after Buzzfeed reported on a similar reference to “Stand and Deliver” in a June 12 speech Paul gave at in immigration forum.

The Wikipedia entry was edited on Tuesday to add Paul’s recitation in both speeches.

Paul’s office did not respond to media requests for comment about Monday’s speech, and did not respond to requests for comment on the new allegations early Wednesday.

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