The NewsGuild of New York, representing journalists from top publications like The New York Times, Reuters and Condé Nast, has initiated an investigation into a staff member who allegedly posted offensive tweets targeting Zionists. According to the New York Post, the staffer in question reportedly referred to Zionists as “butchers” and “depraved monsters” on social media platforms.
The law firm Cohen, Weiss, and Simon has been tasked with conducting the probe, with findings expected to be released within the next thirty days. The investigation was launched in response to a surge in complaints from union members during a meeting originally convened to discuss a proposed increase in dues.
During the meeting, a reporter questioned the logic behind using union funds to pay the salaries of staff members whose actions appear to undermine their own colleagues. This sentiment was echoed by others who expressed frustration over the use of their dues for both the salaries of controversial union representatives and the legal scrutiny they necessitated.
The New York Post’s report, which brought to light inflammatory tweets by Nastaran Mohit, the organizing director of the NewsGuild, escalated the tension surrounding the issue. Mohit’s contentious remarks allegedly extended beyond Israel, with a now-deleted tweet accusing participants of the 2023 New York Times Dealbook Summit, including prominent figures like Elon Musk and Bob Iger, of being “the world’s biggest criminals.”
Further complicating matters, Benjamin Dictor, a top labor attorney whose firm has been financially linked with the NewsGuild, also allegedly made provocative statements about Israel’s actions in Gaza, intensifying the scrutiny faced by the union.
