New York Times deputy editor demoted over controversial tweets
“Jonathan Weisman met with [Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet] today and apologized for his recent serious lapses in judgment. As a consequence of his actions, he has been demoted and will no longer be overseeing the team that covers Congress or be active on social media. We don’t typically discuss personnel matters but we’re doing so in this instance with Jonathan’s knowledge,” a Times spokesperson said in a statement. (https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/13/media/new-york-times-jonathan-weisman/index.html)
Over the last few weeks, Weisman had faced a barrage of criticism for his behavior on social media.
In late July, Weisman deleted a tweet amid outrage after he suggested Democratic Reps. Rashida 
Tlaib and Ilhan Omar were not truly from the Midwest and their colleague Rep. John Lewis, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, was not from the Deep South. The tweets were widely viewed as racist.
Tlaib and Ilhan Omar were not truly from the Midwest and their colleague Rep. John Lewis, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, was not from the Deep South. The tweets were widely viewed as racist.Last week, Weisman tweeted that the Justice Democrats were backing a candidate “seeking to unseat an African-American Democrat.” Weisman seemingly failed to realize the candidate in question was black.
Roxane Gay, a writer who pens op-ed columns for the Times, lambasted Weisman for the tweet — prompting a strange response.
Gay said Weisman emailed her, her assistant and her book publisher, saying she owed him an “enormous apology.”
Gay reacted to the emails from Weisman by saying she was “legitimately shocked.”
A spokesman for the Times said after the incident that Weisman had “repeatedly displayed poor judgment on social media and in responding to criticism.” (https://nypost.com/2019/08/13/ny-times-demotes-top-dc-editor-over-racist-tweets/)
(Photo of Jonathan Weisman.)
