Bloomberg fires finance team editor Ahearn

Jim Romenesko is reporting that Bloomberg News has fired finance team editor William Ahearn.

Romenesko writes, “‘As an editor and newsroom manager, Bill is right up there with Abe Rosenthal, Paul Steiger, Harold Hayes and the other greats of our profession,’ says one Bloomberg veteran, adding that the dismissal has ‘shocked and saddened Bloomberg bureaus around the world.’ (I’m hoping to to hear back from Bloomberg spokesman Ty Trippet.)

UPDATE FROM TRIPPET: ‘Bill has left the company and we wish him the best.’

“Ahearn was the editor of former Bloomberg News senior writer A. Craig Copetas, and the editor who was managing Copetas’s investigation into torture and fiscal corruption in the United Arab Emirates. Bloomberg recently fired Copetas, who was based in Paris. A source told me last month:

Copetas angered the local Bloomberg bosses in the emirate – anxious to keep the peace with the many millionaire Bloomberg customers there – by seeking to uncover tales of human rights abuses, including alleged police torture with the complicity of a member of the royal family, and persecution of foreign businessmen.

“Ahearn was executive editor at the Associated Press before joining Bloomberg a dozen years ago.”

Read more here. A Bloomberg News staffer tells Talking Biz News that Ahearn last logged into the company’s system on Tuesday, and last used his company badge to get in the New York office the same day.