Media Research Center (MRC) President Brent Bozell isn’t buying the CNN’s Reza Aslan’s apology for using vulgarities on Twitter towards President Donald Trump.
Bozell wrote an open letter to CNN President Jeff Zucker, not only criticizing Zucker for accepting the apology, but also listing the multitude of vulgar social media statements made by Aslan as reasons for the network to sever ties with the host.
“Reza Aslan’s apology was not only insincere, but dishonest. His vulgar remarks towards President Trump this past weekend were only a few of the many hateful comments he has made about conservatives,” Bozell said in a statement.
“CNN has yet to respond in any fashion to the backlash over Mr. Aslan’s insults. Allowing Aslan to continue to have any association with the network is not only embarrassing to CNN, but insulting to their viewers. We are sending the following letter to CNN President Jeff Zucker demanding they sever any and all ties with Reza Aslan and apologize for the disgrace he has brought to the network. As mentioned in the letter, CNN was decisive in ending ties with Kathy Griffin; it would naturally follow the network should do the same with Mr. Aslan.”
Bozell also issued an open letter to CNN’s Zucker:
June 6, 2017
Mr. Jeff Zucker
President, CNN
CNN Headquarters
One CNN Center
Atlanta, GA 30303
Dear Mr. Zucker,
As you must be aware by now, the Media Research Center and I have denounced Reza Aslan for his entirely inappropriate vulgar remarks aimed at the president. What Mr. Aslan said about President Trump was wrong by any journalistic or professional standard. And let's face it, if a CNN host publicly had called former President Obama a "piece of shit," your network would have severed all ties with them by now.
Yet as of the writing of this letter, all that has happened is that Mr. Aslan has offered a tepid apology and CNN accepted it. Mr. Aslan is still listed as the host of Believer on CNN's website. If you want to maintain any degree of journalistic integrity, you must cut all ties with Mr. Aslan, including your plans to have him host the next season of Believer.
What Mr. Aslan said about the president is bad enough, but this is not the first time he has spewed such hateful language. When Mr. Aslan "apologized" on Sunday afternoon for using profanity, saying "not like me," it was an outright lie. Here are just a few examples of from his Twitter account:
On what Khizr Khan's wife would say to Trump (Jul 30, 2016): "She'd probably tell you [President Trump] to go fuck yourself."
To Dinesh D'Souza on July 30, 2016: "Hey Dinesh. I'll say this as politely as I can: Go fuck yourself, you adulterous piece of shit felon."
Using the term "Fuck those moms" while responding to Paul Ryan on Mother's Day, May 14, of this year.
Regarding Sean Hannity (on May 23, 2017): "This piece of shit"
And there are many, more examples of such hate-filled profanity aimed at conservatives. Is this really the type of person you want hosting a show on religion?
CNN had the common sense to end its professional ties with Kathy Griffin after she bizarrely promoted a photo shoot of her holding a facsimile of the severed head of President Trump. For CNN to continue to do business with someone so vile as Mr. Aslan after Kathy Griffin's sickening stunt is tantamount to announcing to conservatives that you consider them nothing more than a basket of deplorables. If, Mr. Zucker, you want to do the right thing and correct this notion, you must immediately end CNN's relationship with Mr. Aslan and apologize for the disgrace he has brought to your network.
We look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
L. Brent Bozell III
Founder and President
Media Research Center
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