Topline
The Washington Post fired political reporter Felicia Sonmez on Thursday following clashes between her and colleagues over the newspaper’s social media policy, according to multiple reports, sparked by a sexist joke Post journalist Dave Weigel recently retweeted.
The building of the Washington Post newspaper headquarters is seen on K Street in Washington on May … [+]
Key Facts
Sonmez published a series of Twitter threads over the past few days claiming the Post gives preferential treatment to veteran, white journalists, including when it comes to what it allows them to post on social media.
On Friday, Sonmez quoted the joke Weigel retweeted, saying: “Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!”
Weigel has since apologized for the tweet and been suspended for a month without pay.
Post executive editor Sally Buzbee sent a memo to the newsroom Tuesday warning against “attacking colleagues either face to face or online.”
Post spokeswoman Kris Coratti Kelly told Forbes, “we do not discuss personnel matters.”
Key Background
Sonmez has long clashed with Post leadership, filing a lawsuit last year against the publication’s top editors, claiming their decision to prevent her from covering sexual assault stories was discriminatory. Sonmez was pulled from covering the topic after she revealed she was a victim of sexual assault. The lawsuit was dismissed in March.
Tangent
The Post suspended Sonmez in 2020 after she tweeted about rape allegations against Kobe Bryant immediately after the retired basketball star’s death in a helicopter crash. Managing Editor Tracy Grant claimed the tweets “displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues.”
Further Reading
Post editor Buzbee warns staff on Twitter strife: ‘Be constructive and collegial’ (Washington Post)
A Washington Post reporter sues the paper and its top editors, claiming discrimination. (New York Times)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/06/09/washington-post-fires-reporter-felicia-sonmez-after-public-feud/