Washington Post rehires Karen Attiah after arbitrator rules firing over Charlie Kirk posts violated contract
The Young Turks segment covers the reinstatement of Washington Post opinion columnist Karen Attiah, fired in September 2025 for Bluesky posts made on the day Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Hosts Anna and Cenk Uygur detail her 11-year tenure, her award for Khashoggi coverage, specific posts referencing political violence, the Minnesota Democratic legislators' shootings, and Kirk's past comments on Black women. They discuss her Substack defense, the Post's termination letter citing gross misconduct and staff safety risks, and the arbitrator's ruling that the paper violated her labor agreement by failing to prove misconduct, ordering immediate rehiring and back pay. Sourcing relies on Attiah's own posts, Substack, the termination letter, and the arbitrator's decision. No named external experts appear; the hosts provide commentary throughout, with Cenk stressing freedom of speech and contract law while expressing personal disapproval of Attiah's rhetoric about 'white men' and the timing right after Kirk's death.
Source: The Young Turks
