Lawyer’s comments are “deeply unacceptable,” says broadcaster
Major US broadcaster CBS has fired its senior legal counsel and vice president Hayley Geftman-Gold after she said she had no sympathy to victims of the recent massacre in Las Vegas.
At least 58 people died and nearly 500 were injured after gunman Stephen Paddock fired from his hotel suite on concertgoers at a country music festival on 1 October.
In a comment on Facebook, Geftman-Gold she was “not sympathetic” because “country music (fans) often are republican gun toters.” She described Republicans as “Repugs” and said she had no hope “they will ever do (the) right thing” as they “wouldn’t do anything when children were murdered.”
CBS told the Washington Post that Geftman–Gold was axed for her “deeply unacceptable” comments.
“This individual, who was with us for approximately one year, violated the standards of our company and is no longer an employee of CBS,” the company said in a statement. “Her views as expressed on social media are deeply unacceptable to all of us at CBS. Our hearts go out to the victims in Las Vegas and their families.”
Geftman-Gold has apologized for her behavior in a statement to Fox News. “Earlier today I posted an indefensible post in a Facebook discussion thread concerning the tragic Las Vegas shooting, a statement I sincerely regret. I am deeply sorry for diminishing the significance of every life affected by Stephen Paddock’s terrorism last night and for the pain my words have inflicted on the loved ones of the victims.”
“My shameful comments do not reflect the beliefs of my former employer, colleagues, family, and friends. Nor do they reflect my actual beliefs—this senseless violence warrants the deepest empathy. I understand and accept all consequences that my words have incurred.”
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