Washington Post Ordered to Reinstate Opinion Writer Fired Over Charlie Kirk Posts

The Washington Post has been ordered by an independent arbitrator to reinstate opinion columnist Karen Attiah, who was fired last September. Attiah's dismissal stemmed from social media comments she made following the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

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This decision confirms what we’ve said from the start: I was doing my job as an opinion journalist, and doing that job is not misconduct.

The arbitrator ruled that the Post violated Attiah's rights as a union-protected employee. The decision mandates her reinstatement and compensation for lost wages. Attiah stated that the ruling confirms her position that she was performing her duties as an opinion journalist and that this was not misconduct. She expressed relief that her record is being set straight after over a decade at the Post, focusing on race, gender, and global human rights.

Attiah's case was supported by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, which represents many Post employees, and Democracy Defenders Action. Norm Eisen, a co-founder of the latter group, called the decision a "thunderous win" and a "landmark decision for every journalist who refuses to be silenced."

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After spending over a decade of my career at the Post as an editor and an opinion columnist focusing on race, gender and global human rights, I’m relieved to finally have that record set straight … I hope that this win sends a message to journalists and media institutions everywhere that freedom of expression is always worth fighting for.

The Post had argued that Attiah was fired for cause, citing violations of the company's social media policy, which requires employees not to harm the editorial integrity or journalistic reputation of the newspaper. Attiah's controversial posts included statements like: "Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is ... not the same as violence." She also wrote, "Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence."

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Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is ... not the same as violence.

According to the arbitration record, the Post's opinion editor, Adam O'Neal, deemed Attiah's posts "beyond the pale" and "completely unacceptable." He, along with other top executives including then-publisher Will Lewis, decided to terminate her employment due to her social media conduct. O'Neal also testified that Attiah's posts posed security risks to the Post and its journalists during a period of heightened violence in America.

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Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence.