‘Harmless Fun’: NYT Faces Backlash After ‘Offensive’ Tweet About Kavanaugh Allegations
The New York Times opinion section faced backlash after it tweeted “offensive” comments Saturday while promoting a piece about allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The now-deleted tweet described a sexual act Kavanaugh allegedly did while he was a student at Yale University. The accompanying article by NYT reporters Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly described the allegations against Kavanaugh.
We deleted a previous tweet regarding this article. It was offensive, and we apologize. https://t.co/gbUdweKbDg
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) September 15, 2019
“We deleted a previous tweet regarding this article. It was offensive, and we apologize,” New York Times Opinion tweeted Saturday.
One of these allegations, “having a penis thrust in your face,” was described as “harmless fun” in the deleted NYT tweet. Many hit back on social media at the news outlet.
If you haven’t already, you should unsubscribe from the NYT. Do not give people like this your money. pic.twitter.com/zdKhzTB8Zx
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) September 14, 2019
“Shooting someone in the fucking face may seem like harmless fun but can lead to serious medical consequences — NYT, probably,” Charlotte Clymer, press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, tweeted. “Just so done with this nonsense. Jesus.”
Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, wrote the tweet “very bad,” adding that “the editors’ framing of the piece as being about the culture on the Yale campus” was equally poor. The article is titled “Brett Kavanaugh Fit In With The Privileged Kids. She Did Not.”
“This is … such a profound lapse in judgment and common sense,” writer Roxane Gay tweeted.
This is…. such a profound lapse in judgment and common sense. Sexual assault isn’t harmless fun. What the hell is going on at the NYT? pic.twitter.com/0XBtzGup4Y
— roxane gay (@rgay) September 14, 2019
“How much worse can they get?” Democratic Virginia Senate nominee Qasim Rashid wondered. Capitol Hill staffer Stephanie Perera also tweeted that “sexual harassment is not harmless fun.”
President Donald Trump chimed in as well.
“Brett Kavanaugh should start suing people for libel, or the Justice Department should come to his rescue,” Trump tweeted Sunday morning. “The lies being told about him are unbelievable. False Accusations without recrimination. When does it stop? They are trying to influence his opinions. Can’t let that happen!”
The NYT posted a follow-up that called the “harmless fun” tweet “poorly phrased.” It deleted this as well before apologizing in a third tweet.
Kavanaugh, who Trump nominated, has denied the allegations. He took office in October 2018.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org