Al Sharpton Demands ‘Full Explanation’ From CNN On Their Decision to Fire ‘Superb Journalist’ Don Lemon
Al Sharpton is demanding that CNN explain why it fired star host Don Lemon this week.
Sharpton’s civil rights organization, the National Action Network, released a statement on Wednesday signed by him and Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League (NUL). In it, they defend Lemon as an “invaluable” voice and call upon CNN to elaborate on why the long-time host was terminated this week.
Here’s the statement:
We are completely stunned at the termination of Don Lemon. Throughout his career, Don has been a superb journalist who was very open to the civil rights community on issues others wouldn’t touch. Don’s voice has been invaluable to the conversation of how we become a more just nation. With the health of our democracy undergoing perhaps its greatest test, we cannot afford to silence his voice. We would like to know what he alludes to when he said there are greater things at play, which is why we urge for a full explanation as to why he was let go in such a fashion.
As the news world reeled from Fox News’ firing of Tucker Carlson, Lemon announced on Monday that he, too, was being ousted. Lemon used his announcement to scorch CNN management, saying “I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”
CNN has contested Lemon’s account of his firing, saying he was offered a chance to meet with the network’s higher-ups before he put out his statement on Twitter.
Amid the defenses of Lemon and farewells from his former co-hosts, the firing has prompted a renewal of discussion about several of his most controversial episodes.
Lemon faced criticism for comments about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, in which he suggested women her age were past their prime. Attention has also been given to recurring rumors about Lemon’s behavior, tensions with his colleagues, and his explosive conversation with Vivek Ramaswamy, another GOP presidential candidate.
