You know if Jonathan Chait is even taking issue with Ben Penn’s story on Leif Olson that it’s REALLY, really not good. As we’ve been reporting this morning, Penn appears to have targeted Olson over a Facebook post where he was mocking well-known anti-Semite, Paul Nehlen. But instead of highlighting the true post, Olson has been framed himself as an anti-Semite and the DOL ‘accepted his resignation’ this morning.
AKA he was likely fired.
Check out Chait’s thread.
Trump Labor official Leif Olson has resigned due to a putatively anti-Semitic Facebook post. But if you read the post, it appears to be mocking anti-Semitic conspiracy theories: https://t.co/C9UPvhKbzz
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
Let's walk through it. The context for the post is a primary challenge to Paul Ryan by anti-Semitic right-winger Paul Nehlen.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
Paul Nehlen, the guy who couldn’t get elected as dog catcher … yup.
In the post that got him fired, Olson was mocking Nehlen and the logic of his supporters: pic.twitter.com/IeBvkcvAJX
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
Ding ding ding.
"suffered a massive, historic, 70-point victory" is obvious — I think undeniable — sarcasm. The standpoint of the post is a defense of Ryan and mockery of Nehlen.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
This ain’t rocket science.
Then when a commenter misses the sarcasm, and calls Ryan a "neo-con," Olson sarcastically points out that "neo-con" is often used as a code for Jewish.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
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(It's possible the commenter was playing along with his sarcasm). S then Olson extends the absurdity of the joke by insisting it "must be true" because it hasn't been reported.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
You might say this instead shows Olson endorsing absurd anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. But the standpoint of the post is established from the start as pro-Ryan.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
And any idiot could see that Olson was being sarcastic and defending RYAN.
I'm not endorsing Olson or his policies, and I'm sure he has all kinds of objectionable beliefs. But firing him as an anti-Semite over this post strikes me as terribly unfair.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 3, 2019
Hello, DOL?
This is why despite disagreeing with nearly everything you say and type, I have a great deal of respect for you.
— Cranky Gordon (@StillCrankyAF) September 3, 2019
Pleasantly surprised at your fairness here.
— spongeworthy (@spongeworthy2) September 3, 2019
Right?
Us too.
I’m Jewish, a son of Holocaust survivors, and I have zero tolerance for any form of anti-semitism whatsoever.
This one isn’t a close call – it was very obviously sarcasm aimed at Nehlen (who IS an anti-Semite) and his idiot supporters. Did he really resign? That seems crazy.
— Kamala for America ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ (Redacted!) (@BlueWave2020NY) September 3, 2019
Was likely offered the chance to resign before being fired because goodness knows the DOL didn’t want to be accused of protecting and employing an anti-Semite.
We shall see …
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