CNN announced on May 17 that they have severed ties with a freelance contributor over a since-deleted tweet calling for a new Adolf Hitler.
The Pakistan-based freelance journalist, Adeel Raja, tweeted on May 16, “The world today needs a Hitler.” He also tweeted in 2014 that he was supporting Germany in the World Cup finals was because “Hitler was a German and he did good with those jews!” Raja tweeted the next day, “Hail Hitler!”
This guy has 54 articles under his byline at CNN. They should probably fire whoever does their background checks. pic.twitter.com/yNr7iT29nD
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 16, 2021
CNN Head of Strategic Communications Matt Dornic told The Daily Caller that Raja “has never been a CNN employee, but “in light of these abhorrent statements, he will not be working with CNN again in any capacity.”
Raja tweeted on May 17, “Glad a single tweet contributed to the #Palestine cause and brought it to limelight with me loosing [losing] my job and the West’s claim of Freedom of expression and human rights!”
Glad a single tweet contributed to the #Palestine cause and brought it to limelight with me loosing my job and the West’s claim of Freedom of expression and human rights! https://t.co/pWnYvZrwsS
— Adeel Raja (@adeelraja) May 17, 2021
Stop Antisemitism tweeted, “Lesson of the day – don’t support a man who murdered millions. Good on you @CNN for saying NO! to hate and helping to protect your Jewish employees.”
Lesson of the day – don’t support a man who murdered millions.
Good on you @CNN for saying NO! to hate and helping to protect your Jewish employees. https://t.co/3YmovldTBW pic.twitter.com/weJIyptHAc
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) May 17, 2021
First Amendment and defamation lawyer Ari Cohn also tweeted, “Imagine citing ‘human rights’ when you get fired for praising the Holocaust.”
Imagine citing “human rights” when you get fired for praising the Holocaust https://t.co/1K1s2WL32Q
— Ari Cohn (@AriCohn) May 17, 2021