The New York Times terminated an editor of its product review division, Wirecutter, on Friday for leaving a voicemail for a gun rights group that was filled with profanity.
Erin Marquis, who had been an editor for the outlet since July, left a voicemail for the Michigan chapter of the National Association for Gun Rights, telling the group, among other things, that they were "fucking ghouls" and that she hoped God exists so he can judge them when they die after the group sent out a press release advocating against gun control following the recent school shooting in Michigan.
She said in a tweet that she was "literally shaking with rage" after reading the release. Her Twitter account has since been deleted.
Marquis began her voicemail message, which was published by the gun rights group earlier this month, by stating that she was with The New York Times before asking how the organization’s members "sleep at night."
"Aren’t you just, like, a little bit worried that there might be a hell. And when you meet God, he will send you there?" Marquis asked.
She also said in the message that she would be informing everyone at The Times that the members of the group were "fucking assholes."
"Again, I am from The New York Times, and I’m letting everyone in The New York Times know what kind of fucking assholes you are. Congrats on being a laughing stock," Marquis said.
Additionally, she told the group they were "f*cking ghouls" and that she hopes "there is a God in heaven, so he judges you when you die."
The newspaper suspended Marquis following the publication of the voicemail while an internal review of her behavior was conducted.
And on Friday, The Times said that it had terminated her employment following the investigation.
"The employee has been terminated from Wirecutter following our investigation related to inappropriate behavior," a spokesperson for the paper said in a statement. "We expect our employees to behave in a way that is consistent with our values and commitment to the highest ethical standards."
"Repeatedly invoking The New York Times’s name in an unprofessional way that imperils the reputation of Wirecutter, The Times, and all of our journalists is a clear violation of our policies," the statement continued.
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