Peter Hasson on June 1, 2018
MSNBC host Joy Reid on Friday apologized for a series of offensive posts on her old blog that included anti-gay attacks on her political enemies, promoting a 9/11 conspiracy and suggesting that Jews be forced to relocate from Israel to Europe.
Reid apologized “for the collateral damage and pain this is causing individuals and communities caught in the crossfire” and clarified that she believes Al Qaeda was behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“There is no question in my mind that Al Qaeda perpetrated the 9/11 attacks or about Israel’s right to its sovereignty,” she said in a statement released to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
MSNBC also released a statement addressing Reid’s blog posts.
“Some of the things written by Joy on her old blog are obviously hateful and hurtful. They are not reflective of the colleague and friend we have known at MSNBC for the past seven years. Joy has apologized publicly and privately and said she has grown and evolved in the many years since, and we know this to be true,” the statement said.
The liberal MSNBC host on April 23 blamed the posts on a hacker, although that story quickly fell apart. Both Reid and MSNBC’s statements on Friday included no mention of the supposed hack of which Reid claimed to have evidence.
Read Reid’s full statement below:
While I published my blog, starting in 2005, I wrote thousands of posts in real time on the issues of the day. There are things I deeply regret and am embarrassed by, things I would have said differently and issues where my position has changed. Today I’m sincerely apologizing again.
I’m sorry for the collateral damage and pain this is causing individuals and communities caught in the crossfire.
To be clear, I have the highest respect for Sen. McCain as a public servant and patriot and wish him and his family the best. I have reached out to Meghan McCain and will continue to do so. She is a former on-air colleague and I feel deeply for her and her family.
I’ve also spoken openly about my evolution on many issues and know that I’m a better person today than I was over a decade ago. I am the daughter of immigrants and have worked to be a strong ally of these communities. There is no question in my mind that Al Qaeda perpetrated the 9/11 attacks or about Israel’s right to its sovereignty.
I believe the totality of my work attests to my ideals and I continue to grow every day.
