The Washington Post has certainly had an interesting few days. As Twitchy told you earlier, Taylor Lorenz and Felicia Sonmez have managed to become the story rather than reporting it.
And now we’re hearing that Dave Weigel has been suspended without pay for a month for the grievous crime of retweeting a joke that he found amusing but that Felicia Sonmez most decidedly did not.
Just when you think this situation could not get anymore surreal, Noam Blum shares this little tidbit:
Dave Weigel is a signatory to this statement. https://t.co/H5FkZ7AY8t
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) June 6, 2022
From the statement:
We write to share our alarm and dismay that our newsroom leaders have chosen to place Felicia Sonmez on leave over a social media post and to urge The Post to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of our colleague.
Felicia received an onslaught of violent messages, including threats that contained her home address, in the wake of a tweet Sunday regarding Kobe Bryant. Instead of protecting and supporting a reporter in the face of abuse, The Post placed her on administrative leave while newsroom leaders review whether she violated the social media policy.
The Post’s handling of this issue shows utter disregard for best practices in supporting survivors of sexual violence — including the practices we use in our own journalism. Assault survivors inside and outside this newsroom deserve treatment that is fair and transparent; that does not blame victims or compromise the safety of survivors.
We’re personally of the opinion that NO one should ever have to fear for their safety over a social media post (a controversial stance, we know), and think the organization probably could have done a better job of handling the situation. Given his signature on this statement, it seems Dave Weigel would agree.
Which is one of the many reasons why it’s curious that his colleague won’t extend him the same grace.
he was right though
— john bragg (@johnwcbragg) June 6, 2022
That wasn't my point. My point is she stabbed him not even in the back – in the chest.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) June 6, 2022
She sure did. And even seems quite pleased with it.
It was necessary, Dan. pic.twitter.com/JGuhkim9Bs
— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) June 6, 2022
With friends like these, right?
What other way would one get in touch with a good friend when he RTs something you don’t like? The world may never know.
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) June 6, 2022
Yep, it’s a real head-scratcher.
Every working person alive has had issues at one point or another with a coworker. There are many channels through which they can, and should be, addressed.
Honestly trying to think of what a person would have to do to me for me to feel comfortable being responsible for them losing a month of pay. Stabbing me, maybe? Something like that? Otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
— Foster (@foster_type) June 6, 2022
We wouldn’t either.
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