'Mass firing' at conservative site RedState

CNN Money ^ | April 27, 2018: 2:33 PM ET | by Brian Stelter @brianstelter

[ethom]

Salem Media, owner of the influential conservative outlet RedState, froze the site on Friday and dismissed many of its writers.

Bloggers were locked out of their accounts -- some just temporarily, while the cuts were made, and others permanently.

Erick Erickson, the site's longtime editor who left in 2015, tweeted about what he called the "mass firing" on Friday morning.

"Very sad to see, but not really surprising given Salem's direction," he wrote. "And, finally, after all these years, they've turned off my account."

RedState writers work on contract and are paid based on the amount of traffic to their posts.

Salem had no immediate comment. But an internal memo obtained by CNNMoney confirmed the housecleaning.

"We had to make some tough changes to RedState today," Townhall general manager Jonathan Garthwaite wrote in the memo. "While these changes are painful, they were necessary once we reached the conclusion that we could no longer support the entire roster of writers and editors."

RedState, a 13-year-old blog that was founded by Erick Erickson, is one of several sites in Townhall Media's portfolio. Townhall, in turn, is owned by Salem Media Group, a conservative media company that also operates radio stations and publishes books.

RedState has been reflective of the divides within the GOP and the conservative movement, with a spectrum of writers with varying reactions to Trump's political choices and personality conflicts.

Garthwaite did not respond to a followup request for comment on Friday.

His initial email to writers said, "there's no getting around the fact that this is awful news, but I value your contribution to RedState and I hope you will stick it through and keep RedState going."

However, some contributors then received a separate email indicating that they were out. Their accounts were locked, meaning publishing rights were revoked.

[Zeneta]

My daily news routine.

Drudge Report, Headlines, mouse over for the source.

Breibart for anything new and always Breibart London.

Daily Caller,

PJ Media

Newsbusters

UK Daily Mail, for fun

I’ll then hit

Whatfinger, for any new headlines.

Gateway Pundit

Gates of Vienna

Jihad Watch

Frontpagemag

The Geller report

Ace of Spades

Conservative Treehouse

The Federalist

American Spectator

American Thinker

Watts up with That

Freebeacon

Circa

Washington times

Zerohedge

There’s more, but I hit all those sites without fail.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I’m proud of a map with the reverse colors. That Red looks like a gigantic Communist cancer on the nation.

[ethom]

Lucianne.com will save a lot of time searching in the morning...those are great sites! Lucy Goldberg usually summarizes the best of them

[golux]

My man, you have a "red USA" on your own profile. It's a color. It's red. Platelets. Stop-signs. Pantone 485C or thereabouts. Gummy bears. Strawberries. Labia. Watermelons. Other delicious things. Red. It's going to be okay.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That’s the flag of Tennessee. But like I said, red is the color of Socialism, Communism, Leftist Totalitarianism. Blue is the color of Conservatism. We don’t call Commie Chinese “Blue Chinese”, we don’t call Soviets of yore “Blues.” They’re REDS. And I’m sick of the lying media Election Night 2000 newspeak color switcheroo. They’re the REDS, not me, not Conservatives. Period.

Always remember, NEVER let the opposition label you. Ever. As soon as you do, you’ve lost the war.

[golux]

Thanks for telling me about war and color and the MSM and stuff. I’m ditching tomatoes and Santa.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Words (and in this case, colors) have meanings, FRiend. Especially when you see what (and whom) is behind it, and why.

[golux]

Yes. I want it to be known, for the record, as a long-time Republican activist and donor, that I, personally, was behind the selection of the color red for states voting for Bush, because I am also, privately a communist. Now please excuse me while I peel a rotten potato for breakfast, repair the fuel dipstick on my Trabant, and deign to criticize some minor aspect of our Worthy Leader’s support for Planned Parenthood.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I’m sorry you find this whole thing funny. I don’t.

[golux]

I will try to take you and your thoughts about the dangers, designations, variable significances, ever-shifting political symbolism and general semiology of the color red much more seriously in the future, 'Field Marshal DJ.' And, naturally, as a lowly non-flag officer, I salute you.

[fieldmarshaldj]

If yours is any indication of the level of maturity, intelligence, seriousness and character of Virginia Republican activists, one need not be surprised why the Democrats (and not those of the old-time Byrds, but of actual full-fledged Deep Stater RED Communists) have retaken the state.

Have a nice day, sir.

(Oh, and just as an aside about your disturbing observation about the crimson hue that a labia should have, in your estimation, I suggest a timely visit to your local gynecologist)

[golux]

Humbled by your absolutism, “Field Marshal Deejay,” I am now also willing to accept that men visit gynecologists.

[fieldmarshaldj]

You’re willing to accept the historic and inextricably linked color of leftist totalitarianism as the color of Conservatism. Accepting seeing a gynecologist should be a cinch for you.