Omarosa Ditches Black Journalists Panel After “Aggressive” Questioning
Omarosa Manigault-Newman, the Trump near-apprentice turned White House aide, walked off the panel stage yesterday at the National Association of Black Journalists convention after a heated, nearly half-hour exchange with Bounce TV’s Ed Gordon.
Gordon, moderating a panel called “Black and Blue: Raising Our Sons, Protecting Our Communities,” at one point chastises Manigault-Newman for attempting to “railroad” the event. The former Apprentice contestant, who opened her comments by speaking about the deaths of her father and brother to violence, told Gordon he was being “aggressive” when he walked close to her. (Watch video from the event above).
Later in the conversation, Manigault-Newman said Gordon was dismissive of her family experience. When Gordon disagreed, Manigault-Newman reportedly said “I have it on tape, boo,” to which Gordon responded, “O.K., boo, play it.”
As the discussion focused on President Donald Trump’s recent comments flippantly suggesting that police treat criminal suspects rougher, Manigault-Newman interrupted “Are you suggesting that I just walk away?” When Gordon, according to news reports, requested that he be able to finish his question, Manigault-Newman said, “I don’t want to hear your question. I don’t want to hear a lecture.”
Footage of the event has surfaced on YouTube, including cellphone video (above) shot by a reporter for Heavy.com who attended the panel discussion.
According to a New York Times account of the 25-minute discussion, Manigault-Newman, director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison, walked off the stage after Gordon called their debate a “quagmire” that had “reached the point of diminished returns.”
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30KdSldAF7Q&w=605&h=340]
Related stories
Barack Obama Addresses Racist Charlottesville Rally With Nelson Mandela Quote
President Donald Trump Puts Blame For Charlottesville "On Many Sides"
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
