The controversy over Jemele Hill’s “white supremacist” comments about President Donald Trump is not dying down. It might be just beginning.
Trump himself weighed in Friday, tweeting that ESPN is “paying a really big price” for its alleged left-wing bias.
Without mentioning Hill by name, Trump demanded ESPN, or perhaps Hill, “apologize for untruth.”
Trump’s tweet came only two days after White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Hill’s “outrageous” comments constituted a “fireable” offense.
ESPN declined to comment Friday morning.
On Tuesday, ESPN issued a statement saying Hill’s “white supremacist” tweets “regarding the President do not represent the position” of ESPN.
“We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate,” said spokesman Josh Krulewitz.
Hill tweeted a non-apology apology, saying she only regretted putting her employer in a bad light.
The co-host of the 6 p.m. ET “SportsCenter” with Michael Smith has not removed her “white supremacist” comments from social media.
Hill said her disappearance from Twitter for a day was her decision, not that of ESPN.
Hill’s supporters inside and outside ESPN have rallied around her.
The National Association of Black Journalists issued a statement supporting Hill.
“Jemele Hill is an award-winning, veteran journalist who has distinguished herself for having insightful opinions and perspectives on a variety of topics. Having been successful along those lines for 20 years, she has been able to connect with viewers on ESPN as well as on various social media platforms,” NABJ stated.
Deadspin attacked ESPN’s “craven apology” over Hill’s “accurate” description of Trump.
But ESPN conservative critics such as Clay Travis and Breitbart have asked why Hill skated without punishment or suspension when conservative voices such as Curt Schilling were fired for talking politics.
Hill wasn’t fired because management at ESPN and parent Disney agree with her liberal political views, Schilling tweeted.
