The New York Times reportedly had bedbugs on every floor of their newsroom, according to The Slate.
Could these insects be the cause of the outlet’s left-leaning bias?
Only time will tell.
The Times sent this email to their employees (via The Slate):
Dear Colleagues,
During an extermination sweep of the newsroom over the weekend, we discovered evidence of bedbugs in a wellness room (02E4-253) on the second floor, a couch on the third floor and a booth on the fourth floor. These specific areas were then swept by professionals and found to be otherwise clean. In an abundance of caution, the second-floor room has been temporarily closed, the booth has been blocked off and the couch has been removed to be treated and professionally cleaned.
Additionally, evidence of possible bedbug activity was found in a few personal lockers on the third floor. Individuals associated with those lockers have been contacted and treatment is underway.
We continue to monitor the situation and, as a precaution, we intend to sweep all New York Times-occupied floors. We will provide updates as they become available.
If you have any questions, please contact Pat Whelan from Facilities at [redacted].
Building Operations
As people learned about the infestation, they jested.
New York Times columnist, Bret Stephens, who once compared Republicans to murderous dictators and said the “serpent” Ted Cruz would sell his family into slavery, was the butt of one Twitter user's "bedbug" joke - and he didn't like it.
Stephens got so offended that he invited the “offender” to his home to call him a "bedbug" to his face.
“Dear Dr. Karpf, Someone just pointed out a tweet you wrote about me, calling me a ‘bedbug,” Stephens emailed, according to a tweet. “I would welcome the opportunity for you to come to my home, meet my wife and kids, talk to us for a few minutes, and then call me a ‘bedbug’ to by face.”
“Please consider this a standing invitation,” Stephens continued. “You are more than welcome to bring your significant other.”
Alright fine... here is the email: pic.twitter.com/A4E5I6CoB6
— davekarpf (@davekarpf) August 27, 2019
Stephens' spoke on his outrage on MSNBC saying being called an insect is likened to language used by "totalitarian regimes."
On MSNBC, Bret Stephens characterizes Dr Dave Karpf referring to him as a metaphorical "bedbug" on Twitter as akin to language used by "totalitarian regimes," adds that he had "no intention whatsoever to get him in any kind of professional trouble" when he tattled to Karpf's boss pic.twitter.com/iNJAvzPnMt
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 27, 2019
Can this guy really be serious?
People couldn’t help but to take shots at the “snowflake”-like writer whose Twitter account is now disabled:
You really need to reply ..
— Roper (@Roper70) August 27, 2019
Dear Bedbug,
I appreciate your offer to come meet the family & call you "Bedbug" to your face. However, bedbugs are impossible to get rid of & I do love my family so I will respectfully decline your invitation.
Kinda makes you wonder how @BretStephensNYT
— Robert Cain (@robcain) August 27, 2019
would have reacted if you'd called him something really mean, like "tattletale," or "snitch," or "pantywaist."
This is amazing. Was the term “snowflake” i n v e n t e d for Bret Stephens?!?!
— PissedResister (@PissedResister) August 27, 2019
Bedbugs can be annoying. You have proof.
— RoxSheep 🆘 (@Roxanne59632009) August 27, 2019
dude go to his house and call him a bedbug
— tinybaby (@tinybaby) August 27, 2019
On the bedbug note: No word on which political party these insects are affiliated with but considering they hang out at the Times' offices, I’m going to assume they’re all pretty much in line with the organization’s ideology.