CNN bans conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky after verbal attack on journalist Mehdi Hasan
Mehdi Hasan expresses disbelief over verbal attack, says he has "never been so stunned”
Washington DC: CNN has permanently banned conservative political commentator Ryan Girdusky after he verbally attacked British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan during a heated debate on "NewsNight With Abby Phillip." The incident occurred on Monday night when Girdusky made a controversial remark, saying, "I hope your beeper doesn’t go off," in reference to a series of deadly explosions in Lebanon.
The discussion centred around the upcoming United States presidential election and criticisms of a recent rally by Republican candidate Donald Trump, where derogatory remarks were made against various minority groups. Hasan, the founder of the new media company Zeteo, criticised the inflammatory rhetoric at the rally and asserted, “If you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying.”
After Girdusky's remark, Hasan responded, questioning whether Girdusky suggested he should die. Host Abby Phillip interjected, apologising to Hasan and confirming Girdusky's removal from the panel, stating, "There is a line that was crossed there, and it’s not acceptable to me."
https://youtu.be/e6qjI2xK4XM?si=6vtMALn3Bj6g5ZXt
Following the broadcast, CNN released a statement asserting, "There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air." The network condemned Girdusky's comments, stating he would not be welcomed back.
New: CNN says in a statement that Ryan Girdusky will no longer appear on the network after this remark https://t.co/CQu2ILswNm pic.twitter.com/Jjny0eE60c
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) October 29, 2024
Phillip later expanded on the incident in a statement posted on X, clarifying that Hasan had been welcome to continue the show but chose not to return. “As you may have seen, Ryan was asked to leave the show, and we put out a statement saying that he’s not welcome back on our air,” she wrote. “We really wanted [Hasan] to come back and finish the show… but I just wanted to make sure that you all knew that was not what happened there.”
Sharing @CNN’s statement and a quick message from me about what happened on tonight’s show.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 29, 2024
I take this very seriously and want to again apologize to @mehdirhasan and I hope he’ll join us another time. pic.twitter.com/O9l0Ftv5NZ
Girdusky later tweeted, "Apparently, you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke," in response to the backlash.
You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently you can't go on CNN if you make a joke. I'm glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 29, 2024
Responding to the incident, progressive commentator and journalist Mehdi Hasan said that he was "so stunned" when a conservative commentator told him, "I hope your beeper doesn't go off," during a panel on CNN.
Hasan, a frequent critic of Israel, said on Wednesday in a video message shared on YouTube that while he has "interviewed" and "sparred with controversial, opinionated, offensive people from across the world ... never in my 25 years as a journalist, and 15 years of doing live TV, have I been so stunned by what was said to me."
"But as shocked and stunned as I was, there was no way I was going to let him say that to me unchallenged," Hasan added. He said that he was happy to see CNN decide to ban Girdusky from appearing on air and that Phillip took the time to apologise to viewers "after I walked off set."
Hasan strongly condemned Harris' policies toward the Israel-Hamas conflict in his video message on Wednesday but raised an even bigger warning about a second Trump presidency should the former president win on November 5. "If she [Harris] loses—and to be clear, because of her refusal to budge even an inch on Gaza ...—we will get a Trump presidency," Hasan said. "A white supremacist presidency, an anti-Black, antisemitic, Islamophobic presidency, in which people like the bigot I had to deal with on CNN will be emboldened like never before," Hasan added.
https://youtu.be/iSq7vnw3gWI?si=TPNsCEZH1RLI6gA3
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Cash row: Probe panel confirms allegations against Justice Varma, CJI seeks his reply
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court-appointed panel has confirmed the cash discovery allegations against Allahabad High Court's Justice Yashwant Varma in its inquiry report, sources have said. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is also learnt to have nudged the judge to step down in view of the critical findings in the report.
The CJI has forwarded the panel's report to Justice Varma and sought his reply following the principle of natural justice, the sources said.
The report was submitted to the CJI by the three-member panel comprising Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court. It was finalised on May 3.
The panel analysed evidence and recorded the statements of over 50 people, including Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and Delhi Fire Service chief who were among the first responders to the fire incident at Justice Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at around 11.35 pm on March 14. He was Delhi High Court judge at the time.
Sources said the panel found clear evidence to confirm the allegations that a huge stash of cash was found in the storeroom of Justice Varma's official residence at the time of fire incident. The allegation was repeatedly denied by the judge in his reply to the Delhi High Court chief justice.
The sources said CJI Khanna, who is set to superannuate on May 13, is likely to take the issue to its logical conclusion and has informally discussed the findings of the report with senior collegium members of the apex court.
The controversy was raised following a news report in the cash discovery row and led to several steps, including a preliminary inquiry by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, judicial work being taken away from Justice Varma in the Delhi High Court, and later his transfer to the Allahabad High Court sans judicial work.
On March 24, the apex court collegium recommended the repatriation of Justice Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court.
On March 28, the top court asked the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court not to assign any judicial work for now to Justice Varma.
