ESPN Anchor Suspended for Repeated Controversial Tweets

ESPN anchor Jemele Hill was suspended by the network for two weeks after what it said was a second violation of its corporate social media policy.

ESPN’s Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/JkVoBVz7lv

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 9, 2017

Hill made news several weeks back when she tweeted that President Trump was a “white supremacist.” After apologizing for letting down her colleagues at ESPN, Hill is once again in hot water for calling on a boycott of the Cowboy’s advertisers in response to team owner Jerry Jones mandating players stand for the national anthem. In one of a series of tweets focused on race, Hill said, “Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don’t kneel, some will see them as sellouts.” She later went on to say advertisers were the key to sending a message to the Cowboys.

If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers. Don’t place the burden squarely on the players. https://t.co/Gc48kchkuv

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017

This play always work. Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ’s statement, boycott his advertisers. https://t.co/LFXJ9YQe74

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017

Hill may be protected by Connecticut law which prevents employees from being fired for exercising their First Amendment rights. In a Supreme Court case, Trusz v. UBS Realty Investors, the court ruled “that people who work in Connecticut who comment on matters of “public concern” are protected by state law.”

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