Former CNN Contributor Responds After Being Fired Over Nazi Salute
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - CNN fired contributor Jeffrey Lord following an argument on Twitter with Angelo Carusone, the President of Media Matters For America, in which Lord posted a Nazi salute to deride Carusone's reaction to a piece Lord had written.
Lord spoke with Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT to discuss CNN's decision, and to explain his motivation during the encounter.
"I responded with a direct quote from my column, which he insisted he had read, with the words were 'Seig Heil,' in other words, mocking him because I believe very deeply in free speech. I believe these people, they have been out to get Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, the list goes, and for that, CNN decided to cut ties."
He believes the cable news network is yielding to pressure from groups and protesters who want to limit free speech.
"In doing this, they said you can't use a Nazi salute, what they've done is caved to people with a Nazi mentality. That's the story here. You cannot let people like this be running around America terrorizing sponsors of anybody on radio or television and demanding that they get off the air or they're going to face economic starvation, the sponsor. That is totally, totally unacceptable."
Lord said getting conservatives removed or fired from their positions has long been a goal of Carusone and thinks this move will only encourage more protests against commentators with a similar point of view.
"Angelo Carusone, before he went to Media Matters, had programs out there, on his own to get Glenn Beck off the air and then to get Rush Limbaugh off the air and he was quite candid about this. He gave interviews to the media saying that this is what he's about. So, this is their objective and every time they score a success like this, that gives them more power. This is precisely what is wrong."
