Roland Martin Fires Back at Tapper: ‘I Don’t Care What You Think…I Don’t Serve You’ (UPDATE)
Earlier today, CNN’s Jake Tapper lit into TVOne’s Roland Martin after Martin took to Twitter to tell Tapper that the media needs to stop using the term “false claims” and instead should be using the word “lie” when calling out President Donald Trump. Martin had taken issue with Tapper telling Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin that Trump had falsely claimed that the latest GOP tax plan was the biggest tax cut in history.
After Tapper said he didn’t need to be lectured by Martin on journalism and that Martin still needed to answer for how his debate questions made it to Hillary Clinton’s campaign last year, the TVOne host fired back. And he took some pointed shots at the CNN anchor.
Really Jake? Lecturing you? No one is lecturing you. I’m pointing it the fact that a lie is a lie. https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
Second, I’ve addressed the issue. On @tvonetv. Now if you want to have a discussion about how @CNN disrespected us BEFORE the town hall… https://t.co/XR3D7IDYjd
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
You tell me, Jake, why @CNN told @tvonetv PR folks to remove from OUR press release the plan to address Black issues? We ignored the request https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
You tell me, Jake, why @CNN told @tvonetv YOU were to be included in our on-air promos but @CNN didn’t show us the same respect? https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
You tell me, Jake, why in our rehearsal, @CNN decided to promote your movie after the town hall but told me no to promoting my morning show? https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
Martin ended his tweetstorm by saying he didn’t need to be lectured by Tapper and that he didn’t care what the State of the Union host thought of him.
I’ve held my tongue on a lot of this, Jake. But you will not lecture me on how @tvonetv was treated. And I fought for my team tooth & nail. https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
So @jaketapper, you want my response? Go see what I stated on @tvonetv. Other than that, I don’t care what you think. I don’t serve you. https://t.co/XR3D7IVzHN
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
Ok, fam. I’ve wasted enough time on @jaketapper. He has no bearing on my life or my community. I’m off to chat with my fellow Aggies! #GigEm
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 12, 2017
Of course, Tapper had a response. And in typical Tapper fashion, he didn’t hold back.
The public has a right to know how your questions were sent from @tvonetv to the Clinton campaign. @tvonetv has never explained. No need to hold your tongue.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2017
Here’s @rolandsmartin refusing to explain how his town hall questions went from @tvonetv’s possession to the Clinton campaign.
Zero accountability, zero transparency, zero explanation, zero contrition. https://t.co/4aMsGqt9DT
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2017
Where am I supposed to see what you stayed on @tvonetv? And please stop trying to turn this into something other than me calling you out for lack of ethics and transparency.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2017
One feels like this back-and-forth is far from over.
UPDATE 3:19 PM ET: The CNN host took to Twitter again to note that Martin had yet to answer for unethically sending questions to the Clinton campaign — something Tapper specifically asked him to answer for — and instead was pivoting to other issues that were entirely unrelated.
This isn't a squabble. Roland and TV One did something unethical and they need to own up and disclose to the public. Has nothing to do with me, except I'm not going to listen to journalism lectures from him.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2017
The one thing clear from @rolandsmartin's tweets today is he wants to discuss everything under the sun other than his team's unethical leaking of his town hall questions to the Clinton campaign. Period.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2017
[image via screengrab]
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